Soups
Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb and Longan Soup
traditionally used to calm the mind and support restful sleep
Why people make this soup
Poor sleep is genuinely exhausting, and it tends to get more common as people age. Traditional Chinese food therapy has long turned to certain plant foods — lotus seeds, lily bulb, longan flesh, spiny jujube seed — to gently settle an overactive mind and nourish what practitioners call the “heart” (which includes the nervous and emotional systems, not just the organ itself). This sweet soup brings all four of those calming botanicals together in one pot with red dates for warmth and sweetness. Many families keep it as a regular evening ritual during high-stress periods, and it doubles well as a children’s soup for mental focus and sleep.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for most adults and children as a gentle, nourishing soup
- Particularly helpful during periods of stress, poor sleep, or mental fatigue
- Those who tend to run hot or feel easily inflamed should replace the longan flesh with mulberries (sang shen) and the red dates with southern dates (nan zao)
- People with a current fever, cold, or flu should wait until they have recovered before using tonifying soups like this one
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Lotus seeds (lian zi): Traditionally regarded as nourishing to the spleen and settling to the mind; keeping the bitter green core (lian xin) adds a heart-clearing quality and may support healthy blood pressure.
- Dried lily bulb (bai he): Known in Chinese food therapy for its ability to moisten the lungs and calm a troubled spirit; gentle and suitable for regular use.
- Longan flesh (yuan rou / gui yuan rou): Traditionally used to nourish blood and calm anxiety; warming in nature, so it is moderated or replaced in those who run hot.
- Spiny jujube seed (suan zao ren): One of the most-used botanicals for insomnia in Chinese medicine; traditionally regarded as calming and sedating to an unsettled mind.
- Red dates (hong zao): Nourishing to the spleen and supportive of blood; also improve the flavour of the broth.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lotus seeds (with core if possible) | 38 g (1 liang) | Soak 30 min before cooking |
| Dried lily bulb | 38 g (1 liang) | Soak 30 min before cooking |
| Dried longan flesh | 15 g (4 qian) | Can replace with mulberries for those who run hot |
| Dry-fried spiny jujube seed | 11 g (3 qian) | Available from Chinese medicine shops |
| Red dates | 8–10 pieces | Pitted |
| Rock sugar | to taste | Add at the end and dissolve |
| Water | 8 bowls (about 2 litres) | Reduces to 4–5 bowls |
Method
- Rinse and soak the lotus seeds and dried lily bulb in water for about 30 minutes. Drain.
- Pit the red dates.
- Combine all ingredients except the rock sugar in a pot with 8 bowls (about 2 litres) of water.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 1.5 hours, until about 4–5 bowls of liquid remain.
- Stir in rock sugar to taste and cook until dissolved.
- Serve warm. Eat the soup ingredients along with the broth.
Bro Niu’s tips
- This soup is also good for mental focus and is beneficial for both the elderly and children.
- For a savory everyday version, omit the rock sugar and add lean pork (about 170 g) to simmer along with everything else.
- Lotus seeds with the core retained have better calming and blood-pressure-supporting properties; remove the core only if you prefer a less bitter taste.
- Dry the spiny jujube seed before use (a pharmacy selling Chinese herbs will usually stock the pre-prepared version).
- For those easily prone to a sore throat or heat signs, swap the longan for mulberries and the red dates for southern dates.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (reader): My husband has insomnia, a dry throat, lots of stress — can he take this as a savory soup? Bro Niu: Yes. Use lotus seeds and lily bulb (38 g each), mulberries and spiny jujube seed (11 g each), and southern dates (6 pieces). Add lean pork (170 g). Use 5 bowls of water and simmer to 2 bowls. Have one bowl mid-morning and one bowl about 2 hours before bed. It takes 3–4 servings before effects begin to appear, and the ingredients should be eaten too, not just the broth.
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Q (reader): Should the lotus seeds have their cores removed? Do the dried lily bulbs need soaking? Bro Niu: If the lotus seeds still have their cores, keep them — the core clears the heart and calms the spirit, and may help lower blood pressure. Soak both the dried lily bulb and the lotus seeds in clean water for about 30 minutes before cooking.
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Q (reader): What is the difference between red lotus seeds and white lotus seeds? Bro Niu: White lotus seeds have had their skins removed; red lotus seeds still have their skins on. White ones are often used in visually appealing sweet soups like red bean dessert. But the ones with the skin on have somewhat better therapeutic effect.
Published May 16, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
