Soups
Old Cucumber, Hyacinth Bean, Mung Bean, Coix & Cured Duck Kidney Soup
Traditionally used to clear summer heat, support fluid balance, and calm skin breakouts
Why people make this soup
Summer in southern China and Hong Kong brings a particular kind of exhaustion: the air is thick with humidity, skin breaks out, sleep is short, and the body feels heavy. Traditional Cantonese cooks turn to soups like this one — combining cooling vegetables with damp-resolving legumes — as a seasonal tonic. The star of the dish is the old yellow cucumber: a fully ripened cucumber left to turn golden on the vine, with a richer nutrient profile and a softer, more complex flavour than its young green counterpart. The cured duck kidney (a dried, salted preparation) adds a savoury depth and is traditionally associated with supporting the body’s ability to process excess fluid.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suited to most people during hot, humid weather, especially those prone to oily skin, pimples, and summer lethargy
- Traditionally recommended for those who stay up late, eat irregularly, or experience sore, swollen throats in summer heat
- Also considered beneficial for people with liver concerns, as cucumber’s amino acids are thought to be supportive
- Those with a very cold constitution or loose stools should reduce the mung bean quantity or limit intake
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Old cucumber (lao huang gua): Fully ripened cucumber is considered cooling and diuretic in Cantonese tradition, associated with clearing heat, reducing puffiness, and supporting liver health through compounds such as cucurbitacin
- Hyacinth beans (bian dou): A warming, damp-resolving legume — contrasts nicely with the cooler mung bean to keep the formula balanced
- Mung beans (lv dou): Classic summer-cooling ingredient, associated with relieving heat and supporting skin clarity
- Raw coix / Job’s tears (yi mi): Widely used to support fluid metabolism and ease the heavy, waterlogged feeling of summer dampness
- Cured duck kidney (chen ya shen): Adds umami depth and is traditionally valued for its nourishing, yin-supporting quality; the curing process mellows its nature
- Tangerine peel (chen pi): Helps regulate digestion and prevents the legumes from causing bloating
Ingredients (5–6 bowls / 1 pot)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Old yellow cucumber | 1 whole (~600–800 g) | Cut lengthwise, scrape out seeds and pulp |
| Hyacinth beans (bian dou) | 38 g (1 liang) | Soak 30 min before cooking |
| Mung beans (lv dou) | 38 g (1 liang) | Soak 30 min before cooking |
| Raw coix / Job’s tears (yi mi) | 38 g (1 liang) | Soak 30 min before cooking |
| Dried tangerine peel (chen pi) | 1 piece | Soak until pliable |
| Cured duck kidney (chen ya shen) | 2 pieces | Soak, rinse, slice |
| Lean pork | 225 g (6 liang) | Blanch before adding to soup |
| Water | 10 bowls (~2.4 L) |
Method
- Wash the old cucumber, halve it lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds and pulp (set aside if you wish to use for a face mask — see tips).
- Cut cucumber into large chunks.
- Soak the hyacinth beans, mung beans, and coix separately for about 30 minutes, then drain and rinse.
- Soak the tangerine peel until softened. Soak and rinse the cured duck kidney, then slice.
- Blanch the sliced lean pork in cold water: place in a pot, cover with cold water, bring slowly to a simmer, skim the foam, then drain and rinse.
- Combine all ingredients in a large pot with 10 bowls of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until the liquid reduces to 5–6 bowls.
- Serve as a soup with the solid ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
Do not throw away the scraped-out pulp and juice of the cucumber! Bro Niu suggests using it as a simple face pack — apply the pulp to your skin, or soak your hands in the cucumber juice for a few minutes. Cucumber is traditionally associated with brightening and softening the skin, and this old cucumber variety is particularly rich in moisture. If old yellow cucumber is unavailable, substitute with winter melon (dong gua), fuzzy melon (jie gua), or chayote (he zhang gua).
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (May): Old yellow cucumber is hard to find outside Asia. Is there a substitute? Bro Niu: Yes — chayote (he zhang gua / 合掌瓜) or fuzzy melon (jie gua / 节瓜) work well as replacements.
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Q (Thomas): Do I need to scrape the white pith off the tangerine peel before using it? Bro Niu: Most people do scrape it off, but a Hong Kong University professor once told me that the most beneficial compounds in aged tangerine peel — including hesperidin, which helps soften blood vessels — are concentrated in the pith and white fibres. Scraping it all away is a shame! Try leaving it on.
Published June 16, 2021 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
