Black Bean, Wheat Berry and Persimmon Soup

Why people make this soup

As we get older, the heart requires a little more care. Chinese food-therapy thinking groups several conditions — coronary artery disease, an enlarged heart, weakened heart function, irregular heartbeat — under the concept of the heart being insufficiently nourished by blood. The approach is not to treat these directly, but to make the daily diet as supportive as possible. This recipe does that with three thoughtfully chosen ingredients: black soybeans to nourish the kidney (which, in Chinese medicine, provides the root energy for the heart), wheat berries to calm the heart and spirit, and dried persimmons to gently smooth heart circulation. Red dates tie everything together with a gentle sweetness and blood-nourishing quality. The result is a soup that can be taken as a sweet or savoury broth and is mild enough for daily use.

Method

1. Dry-fry the black soybeans in a pan over medium heat, without any oil, until you hear them pop and the skins begin to split. Set aside.
2. Pit the red dates and rinse all remaining ingredients.
3. Combine all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours until 600–900 ml remain.
5. Serve as a sweet soup (add rock sugar to taste) or add lean pork for a savoury version.
6. For the 3-week course (for those with heart enlargement), drink daily; for general wellness, take every other day or 2–3 times per week.

Nourilo’s Tips

Dried persimmons (jing shi) are sold at Chinese medicine shops and some fruit stalls. The white powdery layer on their surface is called persimmon frost (shi shuang) and is traditionally considered to have a beneficial soothing action on the throat and chest — just rinse lightly, do not scrub it off. If you only have fresh persimmons, use 3–4 pieces; they will dissolve into the soup somewhat, but the soup still works. Wheat berries (mai mi) are sold at ordinary grocery stores — they are the small yellowish grains used in mixed congee; they are not the same as maltose (mai ya). If you are worried about the black soybeans being too warming when dry-fried, you can skip the frying step and use them plain.