Soups
Kudzu, Three-Bean and Pork Rib Soup
Traditionally used to ease headache and stiff, aching muscles
Why people make this soup
Hong Kong people work some of the longest hours of any major city, and that hard grind can leave the shoulders and back tense and sore and the mind under pressure. When summer arrives, sticky sweat and an irritable mood make it worse. Bro Niu says this is exactly when a pot of kudzu soup is ideal — cooked long enough, it is clearing yet not draining, encourages a light sweat without over-sweating, and is gentle on the kidneys.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People with tension headaches and stiff, aching shoulder and back muscles
- Those feeling the summer heat — irritable, fevered, or sticky with sweat
- Clear and sweet, suitable for young and old
- Caution: as with any cooling soup, those with a very cold constitution should enjoy it in moderation
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Kudzu root (fen ge): sweet in flavour and neutral by nature; traditionally used to quench thirst, ease irritability, release the exterior with a light sweat, and relax tense, aching muscles.
- Three beans (rice bean, mung bean, black-eyed bean): traditionally added for those with damp-heat, to clear heat and support fluid metabolism.
- Carrot (hong luo bo): adds natural sweetness; traditionally clears heat.
- Aged tangerine peel, red dates and pork ribs: round out the soup and add depth, with tangerine peel helping the digestion.
Ingredients (4–5 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh kudzu root | ~450 g | Peeled, cut into chunks |
| Rice beans | ~38 g | Soak and rinse |
| Mung beans | ~38 g | Soak and rinse |
| Black-eyed beans | ~38 g | Or hyacinth beans |
| Carrot | 1 | Peeled, cut into chunks |
| Aged tangerine peel | 1 piece | Soak and rinse |
| Red dates | 5 | Pitted |
| Pork ribs | ~300 g | Blanched |
Method
- Tear off the kudzu skin, wash and cut into chunks. Peel and chunk the carrot. Soak and rinse the three beans and tangerine peel. Pit the red dates. Blanch the pork ribs.
- Put everything in a pot with 9 bowls of water and simmer for 2 hours until reduced to 4–5 bowls.
Bro Niu’s tips
Kudzu soup is ideal in summer for those battered by heatwaves, with headache, fever or sore shoulders and back. The black-eyed beans can be swapped for hyacinth beans. This soup is clear and sweet, suitable for young and old.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Amy): Can I use nan zao (southern dates) instead of red dates in this soup? Bro Niu: Yes, you can use nan zao — I just prefer the taste of red dates, but nan zao is even more nourishing.
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Q (reader): Is this fresh kudzu? If I use dried kudzu, how much should I use? Bro Niu: This is fresh kudzu; soups rarely use the medicinal ge gen. If you must, use about 38 g.
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Q (Ms Chung): A 70-year-old has dizziness and head discomfort after COVID — how to support recovery? Bro Niu: You can use chuan xiong ~8 g, bai zhi ~8 g, tian ma ~11 g, 1 aged tangerine peel and 5 red dates in a lean pork soup; a bighead carp head version works even better. Simmer about 40 minutes; take for 3 doses and see if it improves.
Published April 16, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
