Winter Melon Dampness-Clearing Soup

Why people make this soup

Hong Kong summers are relentlessly humid. The combination of heat and moisture that hangs in the air from May onward is exactly the environment in which, according to Chinese medical tradition, the body accumulates what practitioners call “dampness” — a pattern associated with sluggishness, poor appetite, excessive sweating, skin breakouts, and a general feeling of heaviness. The traditional answer has always been a good dampness-clearing soup, and this one is among the most satisfying.

Nourilo came across polyporus mushroom (zhu ling) in a herb shop and was struck by its potency as a dampness-clearing ingredient — a step up in strength from the more common poria. Together with adzuki beans, cooked Job’s tears, and a generous portion of winter melon (skin and seeds included), this soup creates a clear, lightly flavoured broth that supports the digestive system, encourages gentle fluid elimination, and is associated in Chinese food therapy with cleaner skin and a more comfortable urinary system.

Method

1. Rinse all dried ingredients — adzuki beans, Job’s tears, polyporus, and poria — and soak briefly in cold water.
2. Wash the winter melon thoroughly. Do not peel — keep both the green skin and the seeds, as these carry their own medicinal qualities. Cut into large chunks.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
4. Cook for about 1 hour 30 minutes until reduced to 1.2–1.5 L. The broth will be naturally clear and lightly sweet.
5. Serve hot, drinking the broth. The beans and Job’s tears can be eaten; the winter melon can also be eaten if you prefer.

Nourilo’s Tips

If you cannot find polyporus mushroom (zhu ling), substitute with 19 g (19 g) of ze xie (Alisma orientale). Adding two fresh corn cobs alongside the other ingredients is also a lovely option — it makes the broth sweeter and more palatable, especially for children. Adding green beans (lv dou) is fine too if you want extra dampness-clearing strength; use them alongside the adzuki beans.

This soup is cooling in nature and suited to hot or humid weather, but is also a good drink during summer in dry climates, as winter melon clears heat regardless of humidity.