老火湯LO FO TONG

All soups › Damp-dispelling

Kudzu root, rice bean and hyacinth bean soup with dace

粉葛赤小豆扁豆鯪魚湯
clears heatdispels dampnesscools internal firestrengthens the spleenrelaxes sinews and jointspromotes water metabolismSpringAll year slow-boiled · 2 hours Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

“The pot for damp weather.”

Ingredients

百子櫃Kudzu root· cut into pieces with the skin on. Boiling it with the skin is traditionally held to work better against damp600 g (1 catty)
百子櫃Rice bean60 g (2 taels, as given in the source)
百子櫃White hyacinth bean60 g (2 taels, as given in the source)
街市Mud carp· pan-fry until fragrant first, then put it in a fish soup bag; or use pork bones instead1, about 400 g
街市Lean pork· or pork bones300 g
街市Carrot1
百子櫃Candied honey date3
百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel1 piece
街市Fresh ginger3 slices

Method

  1. Soak and wash the 赤小豆 (small red beans) and 扁豆 (hyacinth beans). Wash the 粉葛 (kudzu root) and cut it into large pieces with the skin on. Wash the rest of the ingredients.
  2. Clean and gut the 鯪魚 (mud carp), wash it and pat it dry, then pan-fry it in an oiled wok with the ginger until golden on both sides. Put it into a fish soup bag.
  3. Cut the lean pork (or pork bones) into pieces and blanch (飛水, a quick boil to clean off blood and scum).
  4. Bring 2 to 2.5 litres of water to a rolling boil over high heat, then add everything.
  5. Once it returns to the boil, turn the heat low and simmer for about 2 hours. Anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours is fine.
  6. Season with salt and it is ready.

Who it suits

  • heavy damp
  • aching muscles
  • feeling heaty (骨火, heat in the bones)

Who should take care

  • people with cold, weak digestion (脾胃虛寒) who are prone to loose bowels should drink only a little
  • pregnant women take care (赤小豆 is draining and slippery)
  • people with gout or high uric acid should drink only a little, long-boiled meat soups are high in purines (general warning across this collection)

Soup stories

The archetype of the Cantonese damp-clearing soup. The 鯪魚 is pan-fried until fragrant first and then goes into a fish bag, so the soup comes out milky white and lightly sweet with no bones in it. HK01 notes that boiling the 粉葛 with its skin on is traditionally held to work better against damp. It is also taken all year round for 骨火 and aching muscles.

From the same family

Five-finger fig root (hairy fig) and carrot soup with pork ribsA$16–18
五指毛桃紅蘿蔔排骨湯
strengthens the spleenreplenishes qidispels dampnessSpringAll year
百子櫃Hairy fig root· 75 g街市Carrot· 2百子櫃Job's tears / coix seed· 40 g (1 tael)街市Pork spare ribs· 600 g百子櫃Candied honey date· 2百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· 1 piece

“The pot for damp weather.”

Winter melon, Job's tears and lotus leaf soup with pork ribsNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
冬瓜薏米荷葉排骨湯
clears heatdispels dampnesspromotes water metabolismSummer
街市Winter melon· 900 g (1.5 catties)百子櫃Job's tears / coix seed· 75 g百子櫃Lotus leaf· half a sheet百子櫃White hyacinth bean· 40 g (1 tael)街市Pork spare ribs· 600 g百子櫃Candied honey date· 2… +1

“The pot for damp weather.”

Black-eyed pea and tangerine peel soup with common carpNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
眉豆陳皮鯉魚湯
strengthens the spleenpromotes water metabolismAll year
百子櫃Common carp· 1, about 300 g or more百子櫃Black-eyed pea· 100 g百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· 10 g街市Fresh ginger· 3 slices

“The pot for damp weather.”

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.