Fresh Purslane and Psoralea Soup

Why people make this soup

Purslane (also called gua zi cai or “five-element vegetable”) tastes mildly sour and is one of the most traditional Chinese folk greens. It is traditionally credited with clearing heat-damp and is associated in old texts with easing damp-heat in women. Modern study has also looked at the many compounds purslane contains. Brewed as this soup with psoralea, it is traditionally taken to clear heat-damp and support women dealing with itching, redness, or watery, off-smelling discharge — and is sometimes used for thrush or trichomonas concerns in both women and men.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Women wanting traditional support for damp-heat discomfort, itching or unusual discharge
• NOT suitable during pregnancy — purslane can cause uterine contraction
• During menstruation, pause drinking it (it is cooling in nature); external washes are fine
• Any actual infection needs a doctor — use this only as supportive food

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Fresh purslane (xian ma chi xian): traditionally clears heat-damp; associated in tradition with easing damp discomfort in women.
• Psoralea (bu gu zhi): warming, traditionally used to warm and support, balancing the cooling purslane.
• Ginger, red dates, rice wine, honey: warm and round out the soup so it isn’t too cold on the body.

Ingredients (2 bowls, 1 course)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Fresh purslane	~76 g	Rinsed, cut into sections (or ~38 g dried)
Psoralea fruit	~19 g
Ginger	2 slices
Red dates	8
Rice wine	to taste	Added at the end
Honey	to taste	Added at the end

Method

1. Rinse the purslane and cut into sections.
2. Simmer the purslane, psoralea, ginger and red dates in 4 bowls of water for about half an hour, reduced to 2 bowls.
3. Let it cool slightly, then stir in honey and rice wine before drinking.

Bro Niu’s tips

Purslane is traditionally said to cause uterine contraction, so this soup is not suitable during pregnancy. If you can’t find fresh purslane, dried purslane (about 38 g) can be used instead. For external use, you can simmer purslane in water as a wash to help soothe — but during menstruation, drink it only after consulting a doctor, and prefer external use.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Yi): My thrush has flared up again but I can’t find fresh purslane — can I use the dried form from the herb shop, and how much? Bro Niu: Yes, use about 38 g of dried purslane.

• Q (Wong Amy): I’ve had thrush for two years with yellow, off-smelling discharge despite antibiotics — what food might help? Bro Niu: You can try this fresh purslane and psoralea soup for 4 courses; if it helps, drop to 2 courses a week for a month. Whether it fully resolves depends on your immune strength, since this kind of stubborn infection returns easily when the body is run down.

• Q (LAMLAM): I can only find purslane root, no leaves — can it replace purslane? Bro Niu: What you found may be wild amaranth root with a thick stem; it does clear heat but is far weaker than purslane. Alternatively, simmer 10 ginkgo nuts, ~76 g Job’s tears and ~38 g winter-melon seeds with a little rock sugar in 5 bowls of water down to 2, for 3 courses.

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Published August 17, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.