Old Cucumber, Mung Bean and Barley Pork Rib Soup

Why people make this soup

When the weather turns hot and people are burning the candle at both ends — think students cramming for exams, or anyone skimping on sleep — the body can build up what traditional Chinese food therapy calls “internal heat”: scratchy throat, mouth sores, breakouts, or just a general feeling of dry stuffiness. Old (yellow) cucumber is one of the most classic Cantonese remedies for this kind of summer heat. Paired with mung beans and barley, this soup has been simmered in Hong Kong kitchens for generations as a way to stay cool from the inside out and keep the body’s fluids replenished through the sweltering months.

Method

1. Rinse the old cucumber, scrape out the seed cavity with a spoon, and cut into large chunks.
2. Soak and rinse the mung beans, Job’s tears, and dried tangerine peel separately.
3. Blanch the pork ribs in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then rinse.
4. Place all ingredients into a pot with 3 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours until the liquid reduces to about 1.2–1.5 L.
6. Drink the soup and eat the solid ingredients together.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a mild, nourishing soup that works for the whole family. Because the honey dates and pork ribs counterbalance the cooling properties, it is not overly cold even after two hours of simmering — so elderly family members can enjoy it too. If cooking for an older adult, consider adding about 37 g of adzuki beans for extra gentle support. A bonus tip: the scraped-out cucumber seed pulp has a soothing, brightening quality — it has long been used topically in traditional beauty practice, dabbed onto the face or hands to help calm the skin.