Soups
Fresh Lotus Seed, Lily Bulb & Snow Pear Sweet Soup
traditionally used to calm the mind, support restful sleep, and moisten the lungs in hot weather
Why people make this sweet soup
Come July and August, many people notice their sleep deteriorates — they lie awake feeling vaguely restless, the room feeling stifling even with the fan on. In traditional Chinese dietary therapy, this kind of heat-driven sleeplessness is linked to what practitioners call “heart fire” rising. Fresh lotus seeds, available at Asian grocers in the height of summer, have long been valued for their ability to settle this kind of agitation and bring a quiet calm. Paired with lily bulb, which is similarly associated with soothing the mind and moistening the lungs, and snow pear, which adds moisture and natural sweetness, the result is a light, pleasant dessert soup that is far more enjoyable to take than a pill. The combination is also traditionally considered supportive after a few too many drinks, with the pear and lily believed to help the liver recover.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Well suited to those who feel irritable or anxious in hot weather, have trouble settling to sleep, or have a mild cough with dryness.
- Beneficial for those who feel the heat easily and tend towards high blood pressure or nervous tension.
- Those with very cold digestion (loose stools, poor appetite) should keep portions modest as the soup is cooling in nature.
- Snow pear should be avoided or minimised during a fever with obvious chills — consult a doctor for acute illness.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Fresh lotus seeds (xian lian zi): Sweet and cooling, traditionally associated with calming the heart, supporting the spleen, and clearing heat. The small green embryo (lian zi xin) inside each seed is noticeably bitter — if you have obvious heat signs, restlessness or hypertension, Bro Niu recommends leaving it in rather than removing it.
- Fresh lily bulb (xian bai he): One of the gentlest sedating foods in Chinese culinary tradition. Supports the lungs, associated with quieting anxiety and calming the spirit (shen).
- Snow pear (xue li): Deeply moistening for throat and lungs, adds fluid and refreshing sweetness, traditionally considered supportive for liver health and alcohol recovery.
- Rock sugar (bing tang): Milder than cane sugar, complements the cooling nature of the other ingredients.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh lotus seeds (xian lian zi) | ~75 g (2 liang) | Halved; see tip re. embryo |
| Fresh lily bulb (xian bai he) | 1 bulb | Separated into petals, rinsed |
| Snow pears (xue li) | 2 medium | Skin on, cored, cut into chunks |
| Rock sugar (bing tang) | to taste | Added at end |
| Water | 7 bowls | ~1.4 litres |
Method
- Halve each fresh lotus seed and remove the green embryo if you prefer a milder flavour (or leave it in for extra clearing effect).
- Separate the lily bulb into individual petals and rinse.
- Wash the snow pears thoroughly, leave the skin on, cut into chunks and remove the cores.
- Combine all ingredients except the rock sugar in a pot with 7 bowls of water.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until reduced to about 4 bowls.
- Add rock sugar, stir until dissolved, then serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
The lotus seed embryo has a pleasant bitterness that is particularly beneficial for people with heart fire, nervous restlessness, elevated blood pressure, or nervous exhaustion — those are the people who should definitely keep the embryo in the soup. If you are just looking for a refreshing summer sweet soup and prefer milder flavour, removing it is fine.
Community questions answered (selected)
-
Q (Zikei): For the past few years at work I keep re-checking files over and over, feel mentally exhausted, constantly want to sleep to escape the pressure — is there a soup that can help with this kind of invisible stress? Bro Niu: What you describe sounds like nervous exhaustion, similar to how some people wash their hands repeatedly under stress — it is anxiety brought on by internal pressure. You can try: wheat grain (xiao mai) 37 g, honey-fried licorice root (zhi gan cao) 6 g, lily bulb (bai he) 37 g, longan flesh (yuan rou) 15 g, and red or southern jujube dates (hong or nan zao) 6 pieces, simmered in 7 bowls of water for 1 hour down to 4 bowls. Drink over two days; take 3 batches (6 days total) and see if it helps. It tastes very pleasant.
-
Q (m): These last two days I am woken by my daughter at around 4–5 hours of sleep, cannot get back to sleep, lots of dreams, feel restless. My throat is also a bit scratchy at night. Can I make dried lily and lotus seed pear water? Bro Niu: You can try: schisandra berries (wu wei zi) 9 g, honey-fried licorice (zhi gan cao) 6 g, lily bulb (bai he) 15 g, lotus seeds (lian zi) 15 g, simmered in 5 bowls of water down to 2 bowls. This supports the heart and calms the spirit. Take 3 batches.
Published July 10, 2022 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
