Sugarcane, Water Chestnut, Carrot and Barley Drink

Why people make this drink

Nourilo came back to this recipe for a very practical reason: after teaching long classes indoors while wearing a face mask — something that became all too familiar in recent years — she noticed her throat becoming dry and uncomfortable, and small red bumps appearing where the mask rested on her face. Inside, she felt the familiar warmth of internal heat building up. She knew immediately what to cook. This four-ingredient drink is a classic Cantonese summer remedy: naturally sweet from the sugarcane, crisp and cooling from the water chestnuts, gently nourishing from the carrot and barley. The result is a clear, pleasant broth that feels genuinely refreshing rather than medicinal. What makes it particularly useful is that it suits nearly everyone, regardless of whether they tend to run hot or cold.

Method

1. Scrub the sugarcane thoroughly under running water, then split lengthwise (keeping the skin on). Check that the flesh is white or pale yellow — discard if it has turned red.
2. Peel and cut the carrot and water chestnuts into chunks.
3. Soak and rinse the raw barley.
4. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.1 L of water.
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 1 hour until 1.2 L remain.
6. Serve warm, drinking the liquid and eating the vegetables if desired. (No meat is needed in this recipe.)

Nourilo’s Tips

Always choose sugarcane sold with its skin still on — split it open before cooking and make sure the inner flesh has not turned red or become mouldy, as spoiled sugarcane should not be used. The drink needs no added meat; it is a pure vegetable broth and is delicious as is. It is also associated in food therapy with helping with heat rash, skin eruptions and water chickenpox — the natural sweetness and cooling quality help to reduce irritation and itch. If sugarcane is not available (as in some countries), a small amount of rock sugar can be added to give the broth a similar sweetness.