Lotus root and fox nut ginger sweet soup
Lotus root and fox nuts slow-cooked with ginger and brown sugar until tender and chewy — a warming sweet soup that comforts the stomach and supports the kidneys.
- 1 hr 10 min
- Serves 4
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: End of Heat is past summer's peak, but the air-conditioning and cold drinks carry on, and a Yang-deficient constitution easily ends up with cold knees and lower back, frequent night-time urination or loose stools. Cooked lotus root turns gentle and warming and strengthens the spleen, fox nuts support the kidneys, and ginger and brown sugar warm the middle without drying.
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 60 min- 1Rinse and soak the fox nuts for 1 hour. Peel and thickly slice the lotus root, keeping it in water so it doesn't darken; stone the dates.
- 2Bring the water to the boil, add the lotus root, fox nuts, ginger and dates, boil for 10 minutes, then simmer for 50 minutes.
- 3Stir in the brown sugar until dissolved, taste, then turn off the heat and serve warm.
Cautions
- Fox nuts are astringent, so eat less if you are constipated.
Chef's tips
- Choose short, plump lotus root for a soft, floury texture in sweet soups.
The TCM view
Cooked lotus root is sweet and warm, strengthening the spleen, stimulating the appetite and nourishing blood. Fox nuts are sweet, astringent and neutral, supporting the kidneys and spleen and easing loose stools; ginger is pungent and warm, warming the middle and dispelling cold, while brown sugar and red dates warm and nourish. Together they warm the spleen and kidneys without drying — suited to Yang deficiency in late summer.
