Soups
Kudzu Root, Adzuki Bean, Coix Seed and Dace Fish Soup
traditionally used to clear heat and dampness, supporting acne-prone and congested skin
Why people make this soup
Stress, late nights, and poor diet have a way of showing up on the skin — especially for young adults who find acne appearing not just on the face but across the chest and back as well. From a traditional Chinese food-therapy perspective, this pattern is often linked to an accumulation of internal heat and dampness, and the approach is to help the body clear it through nourishing, flavourful food rather than restriction alone.
This soup — kudzu root with adzuki beans, coix seeds, and dace fish — turns out a beautiful milky broth that is deeply savoury. Beyond its reputation for supporting skin clarity, Bro Niu notes it has traditionally been used for general body aches, muscle tension in the shoulders and neck, and puffiness around the eyes.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suits people with acne-prone, congested skin; also good for those with mouth sores, body aches, or puffy eyes
- Suitable for the whole family
- Pregnant women: replace coix seeds with flat beans (bian dou) 1 liang
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Kudzu root (fen ge): A large starchy root; in food therapy it is associated with clearing heat in muscles and sinews, easing neck and shoulder stiffness, and supporting digestion
- Adzuki beans (chi xiao dou): Distinguished from regular red beans by their smaller size and a prominent white line along one side; traditionally used to clear heat, promote healthy fluid drainage, and reduce swelling
- Raw coix seeds (sheng yi mi): The raw (uncooked) form is preferred here for its stronger heat-clearing, damp-draining properties; associated with supporting clearer skin and reducing puffiness
- Dace fish (ling yu): A freshwater fish common in Cantonese cooking; provides rich, sweet-tasting broth with a good protein base; pan-frying it first gives the soup its characteristic milky-white colour and deep flavour
- Honey dates (mi zao): Add natural sweetness and balance the cooling herbs
- Fresh ginger (sheng jiang): Counters the cooling nature of the other ingredients and helps with digestion
Ingredients (3–4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kudzu root (fen ge) | ~600 g | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Adzuki beans (chi xiao dou) | 37 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak 30 min |
| Raw coix seeds (sheng yi mi) | 37 g (1 liang) | Rinse and soak; pregnant women use flat beans instead |
| Fresh ginger | 2 slices | |
| Honey dates (mi zao) | 2 pieces | |
| Dace fish (ling yu) | 1–2 fish (400–600 g) | Pan-fried and placed in a soup bag |
| Water | 8 bowls (approx. 1.6 L) |
Method
- Peel the kudzu root, rinse, and cut into large chunks.
- Soak and rinse the adzuki beans and coix seeds.
- Pan-fry the dace fish in a little oil until lightly golden on both sides. Place the fried fish in a soup bag (to keep the bones contained).
- Place all ingredients — kudzu, beans, coix seeds, ginger, honey dates, and the soup bag of fish — into a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours, until the broth turns milky and the soup reduces to about 4 bowls.
- Serve warm. The broth is the main focus; you may eat the kudzu and beans as well.
Bro Niu’s tips
If you can get dace fish that has already been filleted at the fishmonger, the broth turns out a beautiful ivory-white colour and is exceptionally flavourful. The fried dace can be placed in a soup bag so you do not have to worry about small bones in the broth. Coix seeds are not suitable for pregnant women — substitute with flat beans (bian dou) 1 liang instead. You can also add fresh earth poria (tu fu ling) 2 liang to this soup for added skin-clearing effect.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Bobo): My daughter is 11 and has already started her period. She has lots of acne on her forehead and nose, and some rash on her back. How should I help her? Bro Niu: Try making a soup with raw rehmannia root (sheng di) 5 qian, mung beans and raw coix seeds each 1 liang, red dates 6 pieces, and tangerine peel 1 piece, cooked with squab (or lean pork in places where squab is unavailable). Take 2–3 servings per week. You can also crush a raw ginkgo nut, wrap it in gauze, and rub it gently on the affected skin — it can help speed the clearing of acne and fading of marks.
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Q (Cat): Can teenagers with acne drink this soup? Are there any herbal teas you would suggest? Bro Niu: Yes, teenagers with acne can have this soup. The most important thing is avoiding late nights and cutting down on fried and spicy food. For a cooling herbal drink, try mung beans and coix seeds, 1 liang each, boiled into a drink — adding a little dried seaweed (hai dai) and sweetened with rock sugar makes it even better.
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Q (Fran): My family does not like fish soup. Can I substitute another meat? Also, I have heard that coix seeds can harm fertility in men — is that true? Bro Niu: There is no record in Chinese medical texts of coix seeds harming fertility, though those with frequent night urination and pregnant women should avoid them. You can substitute lean pork for the fish.
Published March 12, 2017 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
