Soups
Corn, Lotus Seed & Lily Bulb Vegetarian Soup
Traditionally calms the mind, supports blood and nourishes the complexion
Why people make this soup
Office workers eating out tend to get plenty of meat and little veg, says Bro Niu — and even the “vegetarian” dishes can be heavy on oil. So at home it is worth skipping the meat now and then and building a soup purely from nourishing vegetable ingredients. Fresh corn, chestnuts and lotus seeds are wonderful for soup, and when you add lily bulb, red-skin peanuts and red dates, you have a pot that supports blood, nourishes the complexion and gently calms the mind.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Anyone wanting a light, meat-free everyday soup
- Especially welcome for those who are pale, “blood-thin,” or sleeping poorly
- Suitable for young and old; a gentle family soup with no special cautions
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Sweet corn (su mi): lends natural sweetness and body to a meat-free broth.
- Fresh lotus seeds (xian lian zi): traditionally associated with calming the mind and supporting the spleen.
- Lily bulb (bai he): classic ingredient for calming the mind and moistening.
- Chestnuts (li zi): warming and nourishing, associated with the spleen and kidney.
- Red-skin peanuts & red dates (hong yi hua sheng, hong zao): “red foods” traditionally used to nourish blood and a healthy glow.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet corn (su mi) | 2 cobs | Husked, cut |
| Fresh lotus seeds (xian lian zi) | 2 liang (~75 g) | Cores removed |
| Lily bulb (bai he) | 1 liang (~38 g) | Rinsed |
| Chestnuts (li zi) | 3 liang (~113 g) | Skins removed |
| Red-skin peanuts (hong yi hua sheng) | 1 liang (~38 g) | Rinsed |
| Red dates (hong zao) | 6 | Pitted |
| Water | 8 bowls | Reduce to 4–5 bowls |
Method
- Husk and cut the corn; remove cores from the fresh lotus seeds; rinse the lily bulb and red-skin peanuts; blanch the chestnuts briefly in boiling water to remove skins; pit the red dates.
- Put everything in a pot with 8 bowls of water.
- Simmer about 1.5 hours until reduced to 4–5 bowls. Serve, eating the solids too.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup is fragrant, sweet and tasty, fine for young and old. It is especially helpful for those who are anaemic-prone, pale in the face, or sleeping poorly.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Susanna): My daughter just started work, doesn’t manage stress well, and her hair has turned oily with some hair loss. Any remedy to help? Bro Niu: Young people just starting work face real pressure — be a good listener, criticise less, praise more. Cook a soup of prepared fleeceflower root (zhi shou wu) 5 qian, mulberry fruit (sang shen zi) 5 qian, lotus seeds 1 liang, lily bulb 1 liang and 5 red dates with lean pork to support blood, calm the mind and help the hair.
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Q (Susanna): My daughter gets “heaty” easily — can I leave out the red dates and use something else? Bro Niu: Skip the red dates and use southern dates (nan zao) instead — they nourish yin without being “heaty.”
Published December 22, 2025 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.
