Red-Skin Peanut, Jujube & Longan Soup

Why people make this soup

When someone asks Nourilo about food therapy for low platelet counts, the answer almost always starts here. People with this condition tend to have what Chinese food therapy calls qi-blood deficiency and spleen weakness — they bruise easily, tire quickly, feel short of breath, and may look pale or thin. This sweet, cheerful-looking soup is built around a deceptively simple idea: the deep-red skin of the peanut has long been prized in Chinese food culture as a blood tonic, and modern research has explored extracts from peanut skins in relation to platelet-related conditions including thrombocytopenic purpura and thalassaemia. Paired with iron-rich jujubes and longan flesh — which nourishes the heart and spleen and calms the mind — this becomes a comforting everyday brew that even children enjoy.

Method

1. Rinse all ingredients and soak for about 15 minutes to clean.
2. Place everything in a pot with 1.8 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1 hour.
4. Serve the soup, eating the peanuts, dates, and longan as well — the solids carry much of the nourishment.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is naturally sweet and tastes pleasant enough that children rarely refuse it. Anyone with spleen deficiency or blood deficiency can drink it regularly. Over time, consistent consumption is said to bring a rosier complexion and smoother, more radiant skin. When buying red-skin peanuts, look for ones with a deep, vivid red skin — the richer the colour, the better. If you cannot find them, regular unpeeled (with skin) small peanuts work as a substitute. When buying peanut skins separately, use about 11 g (11 g) of dried peanut skin cooked with dates.