Soups
Fresh Lotus Pod, Winter Melon and Job's Tears Soup
Traditionally clears summer heat and supports healthy fluid balance
Why people make this soup
On a blazing-hot day, anyone can feel cranky and overheated. A cooling soup is the kindest thing you can do for yourself. Bro Niu pairs fresh lotus pods with winter melon and Job’s tears for a bowl that is light, fragrant and genuinely refreshing, traditionally taken to clear summer heat and support healthy fluid balance. Fresh lotus pods are available at Chinese or Asian grocers when in season.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Anyone feeling overheated and sluggish in hot weather
- Mild enough that young children can enjoy it
- Job’s tears is cooling and usually avoided during pregnancy — pregnant women can swap in rice beans and hyacinth beans
- For a richer version, simmer with lean pork or wild duck rather than chicken (chicken is warmer in nature)
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fresh lotus pod (xian lian peng): light and fragrant; the fresh lotus seeds inside can be shelled and de-cored for soup or sweet broth.
- Aged winter melon (lao dong gua): the white “frost” on aged melon is traditionally seen as a stronger heat-clearing sign than tender melon; the seeds are associated with resolving phlegm, so they are cooked in too.
- Job’s tears (sheng yi mi): traditionally associated with supporting healthy fluid balance and easing puffiness.
Ingredients (3–4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh lotus pod | 1 | Rinsed |
| Aged winter melon | ~600 g | With skin and seeds, rinsed and cut into chunks |
| Raw Job’s tears | ~38 g | Rinsed |
Method
- Rinse the fresh lotus pod and Job’s tears. Rinse the aged winter melon (leave skin and seeds on) and cut into chunks.
- Put everything in a pot with 6 bowls of water.
- Simmer for about 2 hours until reduced to 3–4 bowls.
Bro Niu’s tips
You can shell the fresh lotus seeds from the pod, remove the skin and bitter core, then use them in soup or sweet broth — very fragrant. The white frost on aged winter melon need not be scrubbed off; just rinse it briefly. Winter melon seeds are traditionally associated with resolving phlegm, so cook them right in.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Annie): Can my 3-year-old, who has a little cough and phlegm, drink this soup? Bro Niu: Yes, young children can drink it. The winter-melon seeds are traditionally associated with resolving phlegm, so cook them in too.
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Q (Tiffany): Can I use pork bones or pork shin instead of the lotus pod, and may I add water chestnuts? Bro Niu: You can. Use about 450 g pork bones, and you may add half a catty of water chestnuts — enough for 4 people.
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Q (Phoebe): What about keeping the white frost on the winter melon skin — should I scrub it off? Bro Niu: No need to scrub off the frost; the skin has a good fluid-balancing effect, so cook the winter melon with the skin on.
Published August 5, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
