Fresh Lotus Leaf & Aged Yellow Cucumber Soup

Why people make this soup

In the traditional Chinese calendar, the solar term known as “Minor Heat” (Xiao Shu) marks the point when summer heat begins climbing seriously — hot, humid, and often stormy. This is precisely when home cooks in southern China reach for ingredients that help the body manage heat and humidity from the inside. This soup pairs the famously cooling fresh lotus leaf with the gentle hydrating effect of aged yellow cucumber, backed up by mung beans and pearl barley to support the digestive system. It is a refreshing pot that requires no special skill and suits the whole family.

Method

1. Rinse the lotus leaf and cut it into several pieces.
2. Wash the aged yellow cucumber thoroughly; keep the skin on, scrape out the seedy core, and cut into large chunks.
3. Rinse and soak the mung beans and pearl barley.
4. Pit the red dates.
5. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4–2.7 L of water.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for about 1.5 hours, until you have roughly 1.2–1.5 L of soup.
7. Drink the soup; the solid ingredients are also good to eat.

Nourilo’s Tips

This is a light, refreshing soup that can serve as a gentle weight-management food therapy. Adding a few red dates moderates the cooling nature of the other ingredients — a small but important detail. You can also add lean pork for a heartier version suitable for all ages. If you cannot find fresh lotus leaf, dried lotus leaf is available at Chinese herbal medicine shops and works as a substitute — use one dried leaf instead of half a fresh one. If you prefer not to use red dates, add a piece of dried tangerine peel (chen pi) as an alternative way to reduce the cooling effect.