Four Red Soup (Si Hong Tang)

Why people make this soup

Sometimes the best remedies are the simplest ones. This soup is built from four everyday seeds — all of them red, all of them available in almost any Asian grocery, and many Western health food stores too. It came up when readers asked Nourilo about food support after a young woman’s first period, and it turned out to be equally useful for a much wider group: anyone who has lost blood through surgery, or whose blood cell counts have taken a hit from cancer chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Because none of the four ingredients are strong medicinal herbs, the soup is considered mild enough for most patients to use, even those on medication. The taste is naturally sweet and pleasant — easy to eat even when appetite is poor.

Method

1. Soak adzuki beans and red-skinned peanuts separately in water for about 1 hour. Discard the soaking water.
2. Rinse the goji berries. Pit the red dates and slice them.
3. Place all ingredients in a pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low heat for about 1.5 hours until fragrant and soft.
5. Serve warm — drink the broth and eat the beans, peanuts, and dates together for the full benefit.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is naturally sweet and delicious, but it is most effective when you eat the solid ingredients too, not just drink the liquid. If you cannot find red-skinned peanuts, ordinary peanuts work fine. Red-skinned peanuts are especially noted for their benefit with low platelet counts and can usually be found in larger Chinese grocery or herbal shops. If the soup feels too warming or causes minor heat symptoms, swap the red dates for southern dates (nan zao). Cancer patients should skip any added sugar entirely.