Black soy milk with steamed purple sweet potato
Rich homemade black soy milk with a steamed purple sweet potato — moves the blood, supports the kidneys and keeps you full all morning.
- 40 min
- Serves 2
- Boil
- Easy
Why it suits you: Blood-stasis types often have a dull complexion, bruise easily and suffer period pain, because blood doesn't flow freely. Black beans invigorate the blood and support the kidneys, and purple sweet potato boosts qi and keeps the bowels moving — when qi is ample, blood flows better. Hot soy milk suits blood stasis far better than iced drinks.
Method
Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min- 1Rinse and soak the black beans overnight, drain, then blend with 1 litre of water until smooth. Strain through a muslin bag or fine sieve.
- 2Pour into a pan with the ginger and bring to the boil over medium-low heat, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly so it doesn't catch or boil over. Sweeten with brown sugar.
- 3Scrub the sweet potatoes and steam them whole over high heat for 25 minutes until a chopstick slides in. Cut open and serve with the hot soy milk.
Cautions
- Boil the soy milk and then simmer it for 10 minutes; undercooked soy milk upsets the stomach. Drink less if you have gout.
Chef's tips
- A soy milk maker works too; steam the sweet potatoes the night before and re-steam for 5 minutes.
The TCM view
Black soybeans are sweet and neutral, invigorating blood, draining water and tonifying the kidneys. Purple sweet potato is sweet and neutral, tonifying the spleen, boosting qi and easing the bowels. Brown sugar is sweet and warm, invigorating blood and dispersing stasis; ginger warms the middle. Qi drives the blood, so boosting qi helps circulation; the whole is neutral leaning warm.
