Walnut Partition (Fen Xin Mu), Lotus Seed, Fox Nut & Ginkgo Soup

Why people make this soup

Fen xin mu — the woody inner partition of the walnut — is a little-known ingredient that looks like irregular fragments of walnut shell. Available at traditional herb shops, it has an extensive list of traditional uses: consolidating kidney essence, reducing urinary leakage, addressing excessive vaginal discharge, and calming the nervous system. It can also be brewed as a simple tea for insomnia and nervous weakness. Paired with the better-known consolidating trio of lotus seeds, fox nuts, and ginkgo nuts, fen xin mu rounds out a soup that addresses multiple related symptoms simultaneously. It can be cooked as a sweet dessert soup with rock sugar or as a savoury soup with lean pork — both work well.

Method

1. Soak all ingredients briefly; remove the green cores from the ginkgo nuts.
2. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 6 cups of water.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
4. For sweet version: add rock sugar in the last 10 minutes.
5. For savoury version: add lean pork at the beginning and omit sugar.
6. Serve and eat both the soup and the solid ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup works both as a sweet dessert soup and as a savoury meal soup — the choice is entirely personal. The fen xin mu alone can also be brewed as a simple daily tea for insomnia and nervous weakness. It is available at Chinese or Asian grocers and traditional herb shops, or online. When combined with cranberries (hong mei gan / fu pen zi, 10–12 pieces), the urinary consolidating effect is further strengthened — and the cranberries can be eaten after brewing.