Soups
Cimicifuga, Black Bean and Lean Pork Soup
Traditionally clears heat-toxin and nourishes the blood
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu opens with a caution many people overlook: a healthy person should not pile on tonics, and someone with a cold or flu certainly should not — it can let the illness dig in. For lupus, where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, blindly “tonifying” can stir things up further. So this soup goes the other way: it is traditionally used to clear heat-toxin and nourish the blood, for lupus with blood-heat signs — flushed cheeks, achy joints and muscles, hair loss, dizziness, ringing ears, and a dry, restless feeling.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People with lupus showing blood-heat-toxin signs (flushed cheeks, joint and muscle aches, hair loss, dry mouth, restlessness), as supportive care alongside medical treatment.
- This is supportive only and does not replace medical care; please keep seeing your doctor. The soup is bitter — for an everyday version, leave out the cimicifuga.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Cimicifuga (sheng ma): Bitter; traditionally clears heat, resolves toxins and helps disperse rashes. Pictured here is the rhizome head.
- Black soybean (hei dou): Traditionally nourishes the blood and resolves toxins.
- Goji (gou qi zi): Traditionally nourishes the liver and blood.
- Candied dates (mi zao): Add gentle sweetness to balance the bitterness.
Ingredients (3 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cimicifuga | ~3 qian (11 g) | Bitter; omit for an everyday version |
| Black soybeans | ~2 tael (75 g) | Rinse and soak |
| Goji berries | ~1 tael (38 g) | Rinse |
| Candied dates | 2 | |
| Lean pork | ~6 tael (225 g) | Blanched (or black-tail snake) |
Method
- Blanch the lean pork.
- Rinse and soak the remaining ingredients.
- Place all ingredients in a pot.
- Add 6 bowls of water and simmer down to 3 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
The cimicifuga head is bitter, traditionally clearing heat-toxin and helping disperse rashes; with black bean, goji and candied dates it gives a blood-nourishing, toxin-resolving brew. Using black-tail snake (wu shao she) in place of pork is traditionally considered more effective. This soup is bitter and not very palatable — for an everyday family soup, drop the cimicifuga and use astragalus (bei qi) instead.
Community questions answered (selected)
-
Q (Sana): Do I take this for several doses in a row, or whenever? Will it help long-standing cheek redness without using steroids? Bro Niu: Take it about twice a week for a month and see whether your symptoms improve.
-
Q (Tracy): My father has been drinking your recommended soup for lupus arthritis. Lately the back of his neck sweats a lot — is he weak? Bro Niu: Heavy sweating usually does come from deficiency. Dry-toast floating wheat (fu xiao mai), use 2 tablespoons per tea bag, steep as tea once daily until the symptom improves.
-
Q (Kit): For lemongrass with green apple for lupus joint pain, if I can’t find green apple, can I use red apple? Bro Niu: Yes, if you can’t find green apple, use a red apple — not too sweet a variety.
Published December 3, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
