Soups
Mung Bean, Job's Tears and Rush Pith Grass Sweet Soup
Traditionally used to clear heat and support recovery from chickenpox
Why people make this soup
Every autumn and winter, chickenpox circulates — and while modern medicine handles the infection, traditional food therapy offers something to keep the child comfortable during recovery. Bro Niu shares this simple sweet soup made with mung beans, Job’s tears, and a small bundle of rush pith grass (a plant used in Chinese medicine to calm restlessness and clear heat). The soup is mild, naturally sweet with rock sugar added, and easy for children to accept. It is traditionally given to ease the heat and irritability that often accompany the rash, and to support the body as the blisters run their course.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for children and adults who have chickenpox, to be taken alongside proper medical care
- Adults with chickenpox can also drink this soup
- If fever is present, see a doctor — do not try to manage fever with this soup alone
- A separate topical remedy, wax-plum oil (la mei you), is sometimes applied to relieve itching, but it contains camphor; children with G6PD deficiency (favism) must NOT use wax-plum oil, though they can still drink this soup safely
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Mung beans (lu dou): Traditionally associated with clearing heat and detoxifying; a staple of summer and illness-recovery cooking in southern China
- Job’s tears / raw pearl barley (sheng yi mi): Thought to drain dampness, ease the skin, and support the spleen
- Rush pith grass (deng xin cao): A delicate grass used in Chinese herbal medicine to clear heart heat and calm restlessness — particularly suitable for fussy, uncomfortable children
- Dried tangerine peel (chen pi): Helps settle the stomach and prevents the cooling ingredients from being too harsh
- Rock sugar (bing tang): Adds sweetness to encourage children to drink; also thought to be gentler than refined sugar
Ingredients (2 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mung beans (lu dou) | 38 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Raw Job’s tears (sheng yi mi) | 38 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Rush pith grass (deng xin cao) | 5–6 small bundles | Available at Chinese herbal medicine shops |
| Dried tangerine peel (chen pi) | 1 piece | Rinse |
| Rock sugar | To taste | Add after cooking |
| Water | 6 bowls (~1.2 L) | Reduce to 2 bowls |
Method
- Rinse the mung beans and Job’s tears; soak for 30–60 minutes if time allows.
- Place all ingredients except the rock sugar into a pot with 6 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 45 minutes until the liquid reduces to 2 bowls.
- Add rock sugar and stir until dissolved.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Drink the soup and eat some of the beans and barley.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup has a pleasant flavour that children generally do not resist. You can serve it for 3–5 consecutive days, stopping once the blisters have completely scabbed over. One practical note: during chickenpox, try to stop the child from scratching the blisters, as broken skin leaves scars (what older folk call “bean skin” marks). If you can find wax-plum oil at a Chinese medicine shop, applying it to itchy spots helps reduce discomfort. However, remember that wax-plum oil contains camphor and is strictly off-limits for children with G6PD deficiency.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (reader, 2019): My son is 23 years old and has chickenpox. He has already seen a doctor and has a fever. Can he drink this soup? Bro Niu: Yes, you can prepare 2–3 batches of this soup for him. It may help clear the heat-toxin associated with chickenpox.
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Q (reader, 2019): If he is already taking fever-reducing medication, can he still drink this soup? Bro Niu: Yes, he can drink this soup alongside the fever medication — they do not interfere with each other.
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Q (Ling, 2012): My boyfriend often gets small sores and fungal infections on his skin. Also, children with G6PD — can they drink this soup? Bro Niu: Children with G6PD can drink this mung bean and Job’s tears soup without a problem. The restriction is only on wax-plum oil, which contains camphor — that they must avoid. For recurring skin infections, I would suggest a soup with fresh smilax root (tu fu ling), mung beans, Job’s tears, and honey dates with pork, to help clear heat and reduce skin flare-ups.
Published October 14, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
