Adzuki bean — Lo Fo Tong 老火湯

Adzuki bean

紅豆

promotes water metabolismstrengthens the spleen補血（民間補心血）

The dried seed of the adzuki bean (Vigna angularis), a small round reddish-brown bean, plumper and sweeter than the slimmer medicinal rice bean (赤小豆) it is often confused with. In savoury soups it boils down to a soft, faintly sweet grain that colours and bodies the broth, and it is also the classic bean of red bean sweet soup.

TCM properties

Nature · neutral　Flavour · sweet　Meridians · heart、small intestine

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy red bean is used to promote water flow and support the spleen; folk tradition also credits it with nourishing the heart blood.

Cautions — read first

People with gout should take care (beans are high in purines; the whole pot of black bean, adzuki bean and fish tail soup is off the list for gout).

Preparation

Rinse well and soak for 1 to 2 hours so they soften more easily.

Origin

華北為主產（天津紅小豆為著名出口品系）；日本北海道紅豆亦負盛名 — No direct AU observation; retail packs labelled 'adzuki' overlap confusingly with 赤小豆 stock

Availability in Australia

Common at Asian grocers

Pairs well with

Black soybean Carrot Lotus root Aged dried tangerine peel Fish tail (grass or bighead carp)

Soups that use this ingredient · 1

Black bean, adzuki bean and carrot soup with grass carp tailNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

黑豆紅豆紅蘿蔔鯇魚尾湯

replenishes qisupports the kidneyspromotes water metabolismWinter

街市Fish tail (grass or bighead carp)· 1, 400 to 500 g百子櫃Black soybean· 150 g百子櫃Adzuki bean· 75 g街市Carrot· 200 g百子櫃Red jujube date· 4百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· a small piece

“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”