Soups
Winter Melon, Lotus Leaf and Duck Soup with Three Beans
Traditionally used to clear summer heat, reduce dampness, relieve fatigue, and prevent heat-related illness
Why people make this soup
The Major Heat period (da shu) in the traditional Chinese calendar — falling around late July — marks the most intense and draining stretch of the summer. Bro Niu made this soup the day before Da Shu, not as a remedy for existing illness but as a deliberate act of prevention. The logic is straightforward: when heat and humidity are at their peak, the body’s ability to regulate temperature and process fluid is under maximum pressure. Before the body breaks down, give it support. Muscovy duck is lean, cooling, and deeply nourishing in a way that regular chicken is not — it is a traditional choice specifically for hot-weather soups. Combined with three of the most reliable heat-clearing ingredients in the Cantonese pantry — winter melon, mung beans and adzuki beans — and lotus leaf to tie everything together with its aromatic, heat-dispersing quality, this soup is a comprehensive summer wellness meal in a single pot.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable as a whole-family soup during the summer months; two bowls per person per day is a reasonable serving
- Particularly good for anyone prone to prickly heat rash, heat boils, facial flushing in summer, or the persistent mild fatigue and poor appetite of hot weather
- Also appropriate for people with mild edema or water retention
- Pregnant women should leave out the coix seeds (sheng yi mi / job’s tears); the rest of the soup is fine
- Those who cannot find Muscovy duck can substitute regular duck meat, silkie chicken (zhu si ji), clams or dried oysters — all have yin-nourishing properties
- Those with gout should use only the adzuki beans and omit the mung beans and coix seeds in their version, or check with their doctor
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Muscovy duck (shui ya): Considered cooling and yin-nourishing in traditional Chinese food therapy; leaner than regular duck and especially valued for summer soups because it clears heat without being too rich
- Winter melon (dong gua): One of the most important summer vegetables in Cantonese food therapy; clears heat, promotes urination, reduces swelling and relieves thirst; cooking with the skin on is preferred
- Lotus leaf (he ye): Disperses summer heat, clears dampness, opens the appetite; its fresh aromatic quality is most potent when added in the last 8 minutes of cooking
- Red adzuki beans (chi xiao dou): Promotes healthy fluid excretion and relieves water accumulation in the body
- Mung beans (lu dou): Traditionally one of the most effective heat-clearing and toxin-releasing foods; cool and sweet in nature
- Coix seeds (sheng yi mi): Clear dampness, support healthy urination, and strengthen the spleen; note that pregnant women should omit these
- Tangerine peel (chen pi): Aids digestion, prevents bloating, and balances the cooling nature of the other ingredients
Ingredients (5–6 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Muscovy duck | 1 whole (~1.2 kg) | Cut into large pieces; blanch to remove impurities; remove obvious fat |
| Winter melon | 1 kg | Remove seeds; keep skin on; cut into large chunks |
| Fresh lotus leaf | 1 wedge (quarter sheet) | Rinse; add in last 8 minutes of cooking; substitute 3 qian dried if unavailable |
| Red adzuki beans (chi xiao dou) | 1 liang (~37 g) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Mung beans (lu dou) | 1 liang (~37 g) | Rinse and soak briefly |
| Raw coix seeds (sheng yi mi) | 1 liang (~37 g) | Rinse; omit if pregnant |
| Dried tangerine peel (chen pi) | 1 piece | Rinse |
Method
- Blanch the duck pieces in boiling water for 2–3 minutes; discard the blanching water.
- Rinse and soak the adzuki beans, mung beans, coix seeds, and tangerine peel.
- Wash and deseed the winter melon; cut into large chunks with skin on.
- Rinse the lotus leaf.
- Place the duck, winter melon, adzuki beans, mung beans, coix seeds and tangerine peel into a large pot with 10 bowls (about 2.5 litres) of cold water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1.5 hours.
- Add the fresh lotus leaf (or pre-soaked dried lotus leaf) and simmer for a final 8 minutes.
- Serve. The solid ingredients are nutritious — eat them along with the broth.
Bro Niu’s tips
This is a whole-family preventive summer soup. Because winter melon and the other ingredients are naturally filling, make a larger pot so each family member can have two bowls across the day. Winter melon can be increased generously — it softens nicely and absorbs all the flavours of the broth. If you cannot find Muscovy duck, regular duck, silkie chicken, clams or dried oysters all make good substitutes with similar yin-nourishing properties. If you prefer the duck skin off, that is fine, but Muscovy duck has relatively little subcutaneous fat so it is not essential to remove it.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (匿名访客): Is there anything that can substitute for Muscovy duck if I want something yin-nourishing? Bro Niu: Duck meat, silkie chicken (zhu si ji), clams (xian rou) or dried oysters (hao si) all have yin-nourishing properties and can be used as substitutes.
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Q (匿名访客): Can I add yellow soybeans to this soup? Can it be drunk if I have a cold and a sore throat? Bro Niu: Yes, you can add yellow soybeans. If you have a sore throat but no fever, this soup is fine to drink.
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Q (wai): Are there any contraindications for this soup — who should not drink it? Bro Niu: Those with gout should use only the adzuki beans and not add mung beans or coix seeds. Pregnant women should omit the fresh lotus leaf and the coix seeds; otherwise the soup is suitable for most people.
Published July 21, 2016 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 5 min read.
