Shiitake, Mixed Nuts and Red Date Soup

Why people make this soup

Nourilo came home from the dried-goods shop with plump cashews, fresh walnuts and a bag of chickpeas, and decided to build a vegetarian pot around them with shiitake and red dates. No pork bone needed — the nuts and mushrooms give it body and a fragrant, gently sweet flavour. Traditionally this combination is associated with supporting the kidneys and a weak lower back.

Method

1. Soak the shiitake until soft and remove the stems; rinse the walnuts and cashews.
2. Put everything into a pot with 2.4 L of water and simmer about 2 hours down to about 1.5 L.
3. Drink the soup and eat the ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

Fragrant and sweet, and taken regularly it is traditionally associated with easing fatigue and supporting the skin. It is well suited to those with a weak lower back and achy knees, and is also welcomed by nursing mothers.