Soups
Fresh Smilax, Maranta and Three-Bean Soup
Traditionally used to support the spleen, clear damp and soothe itchy skin
Why people make this soup
In foggy, damp weather — especially alongside rich, greasy, spicy or fried foods and a lot of stress — skin troubles like eczema flare up more easily. Fresh smilax (tu fu ling) and the folk herb di lao shu are both traditionally valued for skin prone to eczema; both are available at Chinese or Asian grocers, where they can often be peeled and sliced for you on request. Cooked with rice beans, hyacinth beans and mung beans, this soup is traditionally enjoyed to support the spleen, clear damp and soothe itchy skin.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People with skin prone to eczema, itchiness and dampness, especially in muggy weather.
- This soup is on the cooling side: those with a cold-weak spleen-stomach and pregnant women should avoid it.
- Adding lean pork makes it palatable enough that children won’t refuse it. If a skin condition persists or worsens, please see a doctor.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fresh smilax (tu fu ling): Traditionally used to clear damp and soothe skin prone to itching and eczema.
- Di lao shu: A folk skin-supporting herb often paired with smilax.
- Three beans (chi xiao dou, bian dou, lü dou): Traditionally used to support the spleen, drain damp and clear heat.
- Tangerine peel & honey dates (chen pi, mi zao): Round the flavour and keep the soup gentle.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls / 1 pot)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh smilax root | ~75 g | Soak, blanch |
| Fresh di lao shu root | ~75 g | Soak, blanch |
| Rice beans | ~38 g | Soak, rinse |
| Hyacinth beans | ~38 g | Soak, rinse |
| Mung beans | ~38 g | Soak, rinse |
| Dried tangerine peel | 1 piece | |
| Honey dates | 2 |
Method
- Soak and rinse all the ingredients separately; blanch the smilax and di lao shu.
- Put everything in 9 bowls of water and simmer 2 hours down to 4–5 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup has a faint herbal taste but isn’t hard to drink. You can add lean pork so even children won’t refuse it. But it’s on the cooling side — those with a cold-weak spleen-stomach and pregnant women should not drink it.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (reader): No fresh ingredients available — can I use the dried form, and do I adjust amounts? Bro Niu: For dried smilax use 5 qian; dried di lao shu is rarely sold, but if found, use 5 qian. With no di lao shu, smilax alone can be used at 1 tael dried.
- Q (reader): How do I choose fresh smilax — is there a difference between white and red, and which is more potent? Bro Niu: Fresh smilax is mineral-rich, so it oxidises to a rusty colour the moment it’s sliced; the white kind has usually been chemically bleached.
- Q (Ms Lam): I get small itchy blisters on my soles intermittently — is smilax soup or fish-mint (yu xing cao) soup better? Bro Niu: First check whether it’s athlete’s foot. The smilax soup is fine to drink; for the feet, an external soak can help (see the site for the rice-vinegar-and-garlic method).
Published April 2, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
