Adzuki Bean, Mung Bean, Hyacinth Bean & Aged Tangerine Peel Drink

Why people make this drink

During Hong Kong’s famously humid spring months, dehumidifiers run continuously and laundry never fully dries. But more than just being uncomfortable, this kind of environmental dampness has long been recognized in Chinese medicine as something that enters the body too — manifesting as heavy, achy limbs, a foggy head, facial puffiness, itchy skin, excessive drooling during sleep, or a thick, greasy coating on the tongue. The traditional response is to eat and drink things that help the spleen process this excess moisture and restore the body’s fluid balance.

This three-bean drink is one of the simplest and most practical tools for that purpose. It doesn’t taste medicinal — it’s pleasant, slightly earthy, and can be made sweet or savory to suit your preference. The combination of adzuki bean, mung bean, and hyacinth bean covers three different angles: draining excess water, clearing heat, and supporting the spleen function directly. Aged tangerine peel ties everything together by moving qi and preventing the beans from becoming too dampening themselves.

Method

1. Soak all three types of beans in water for at least 1 hour. Soak the tangerine peel until softened.
2. Drain and rinse the beans. Place all ingredients together in a pot with 2.1 L of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 1 hour, until the beans are fully soft and the liquid has reduced to about 1.2 L.
4. Serve warm. You can eat the beans alongside the broth — they are pleasant and filling.
5. To make it sweet: add rock sugar at the end. To make it savory: add winter melon and lean pork and simmer together from the start.

Nourilo’s Tips

This drink is mild and versatile — not too sweet, not too bitter, just clean and earthy. It works as is, or you can build it into a fuller soup by adding winter melon and lean pork at the beginning. A pinch of rock sugar at the end if you want it sweet, or serve plain as a warm drink on its own. The beans are good to eat — don’t throw them out. For children, adzuki bean and hyacinth bean are the safest options to use year-round; mung bean is fine too in the warmer months.