Soups
Tomato, Carrot and White Kidney Bean Pork Rib Soup
Traditionally enjoyed to quench summer thirst and support weight management
Why people make this soup
Bro Niu loves cooking with different-coloured beans — partly because they taste good, and partly because of the old idea that “five colours nourish the five organs”. White kidney beans are a favourite: big, plump and fragrantly soft once simmered. Paired with tomato and carrot in a pork rib soup, they make a lovely summer bowl traditionally enjoyed to quench thirst, generate fluids, and support the body in draining excess water for weight management. White kidney beans are available at Chinese or Asian grocers, or online.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Anyone wanting a light, thirst-quenching summer soup; traditionally suits those watching their weight or managing high blood pressure or high blood lipids.
- If white kidney beans aren’t available, hyacinth beans (bian dou) make a good substitute and are also traditionally used to clear summer dampness and strengthen the spleen.
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- White kidney beans (bai yun dou): rich in minerals and vitamins; traditionally associated with strengthening the spleen, supporting the body in draining dampness, and thereby easing water retention.
- Tomato (fan qie): bright and thirst-quenching, adds natural acidity and freshness.
- Carrot (gan sun): adds natural sweetness and is traditionally valued for the eyes.
- Ginger and dried tangerine peel (chen pi): warming aromatics Bro Niu adds with beans to settle the stomach and offset coolness.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | 3 | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Carrot | 1 | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Large white kidney beans | ~75 g (2 liang) | Soak and rinse; hyacinth beans work as a substitute |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices | |
| Dried tangerine peel | 1 piece | |
| Pork ribs | ~225 g (6 liang) | Blanch first |
Method
- Blanch the pork ribs to remove scum.
- Peel the tomatoes and carrot and cut into chunks.
- Soak and rinse the white kidney beans.
- Put everything in a pot with 8 bowls of water and simmer about 2 hours down to 4 bowls. Drink the soup and eat the ingredients.
Bro Niu’s tips
This soup suits those with high blood pressure or high blood lipids. If you can’t find white kidney beans, use hyacinth beans (bian dou) instead — traditionally used to clear summer dampness and strengthen the spleen.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (PIGCHI): What does the ginger (3 slices) do — dispel cold? Bro Niu: I habitually add ginger or dried tangerine peel when I make soup, especially with beans, to settle the qi, ease the stomach and offset coolness.
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Q (Connie): A friend sits in the office all day and only has a bowel movement every 2–3 days even though she eats plenty of vegetables. Any soup or drink to help, and what should she avoid? Bro Niu: Sitting still slows the bowel. Eat papaya, prunes, dragon fruit and figs, and drink more water. Fire-hemp seed (huo ma ren), roasted and crushed into congee or a sweet paste, is traditionally used to ease the bowels. Avoid lotus seed, fox-nut, hyacinth bean, chestnut and guava, which can make constipation worse.
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Q (anonymous reader): I bought some Chinese yam but some pieces turned yellow rather than snow-white — can I still eat it? Bro Niu: If it has only slightly yellowed with no mould and no off smell, it is still usable. But if it is mouldy, absolutely do not use it — mould can be harmful.
Published August 4, 2010 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
