Soups
Job's-Tears, Red-Bean and Mung-Bean Soup with Licorice
Traditionally clears heat and drains damp
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu offers this one for the hot, humid stretch of the year, when nurseries and care homes can see waves of illness going around. In the traditional view, the body does well to clear heat and drain “damp” in such weather. This soup leans on three humble pantry ingredients — Job’s tears and two kinds of bean — with a touch of licorice, and is gentle enough for both little ones and the elderly to sip as a seasonal comfort.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits young children and older folks alike as a cooling, damp-draining soup in hot, sticky weather.
- If a child or elder is quite weak, you can add one old pigeon for extra nourishment. As always, anyone who is genuinely unwell should see a doctor.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Job’s tears (yi mi): traditionally drains damp and clears heat; a staple of summer cooling soups.
- Adzuki bean (chi xiao dou): traditionally helps the body shed excess water.
- Mung bean (lü dou): long associated with clearing heat and cooling the system.
- Licorice (gan cao): harmonises the other ingredients and softens the flavour.
Ingredients (about 4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Job’s tears (yi mi) | ~38 g (1 tael) | |
| Adzuki / small red bean (chi xiao dou) | ~38 g (1 tael) | |
| Mung bean (lü dou) | ~38 g (1 tael) | |
| Licorice (gan cao) | ~7.5 g (2 qian) | |
| Old pigeon | 1, optional | for a weak child or elder |
| Water | 6 bowls | reduce to ~4 |
Method
- Soak and rinse the Job’s tears and beans.
- Add everything to a pot with 6 bowls of water and simmer about 1.5 hours, down to about 4 bowls.
Bro Niu’s tips
This can be drunk as a preventive seasonal soup. If a weak child or elder needs more nourishment, add one old pigeon. For a child whose mouth is too sore to eat, you can strain out the solids and set the liquid with a little agar or fish gelatine into a jelly that is easier to take.
Published November 1, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
