Salted Duck Egg and Sweet Potato Leaf Soup: A Gentle and Effective Way to Soothe the Intestines
Salted Duck Egg and Sweet Potato Leaf Soup: A Gentle and Effective Way to Soothe the Intestines
During the scorching summer days, people often experience symptoms of excessive internal heat, such as dry mouth, bitter taste, headache, red eyes, sore throat, mouth ulcers, and constipation. A simple and convenient soup made from salted duck eggs and sweet potato leaves can provide effective relief. This soup is quick to prepare, rich in vegetables, and not only helps reduce internal heat but also aids in cooling, detoxification, weight loss, and slimming.
Here's how to make it: Take 200 grams of sweet potato leaves, 2 fresh salted duck eggs, a few slices of fresh ginger, and 5 bowls of water (approximately 200-250 milliliters per bowl). Wash the sweet potato leaves thoroughly, crack open the salted duck eggs, and mix the egg whites and yolks evenly. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then add the sweet potato leaves and ginger slices. After a brief boil, pour in the mixed salted duck eggs, add a few drops of sesame oil, season with salt to taste, and enjoy the soup along with the vegetables.
Sweet potato leaves, also known as red potato leaves or yam leaves, have a sweet taste and a neutral nature. They belong to the large intestine meridian and are commonly seen spring and summer vegetables in various regions. They have a deep green color, are rich in dietary fiber and chlorophyll, and can promote intestinal peristalsis, alleviate constipation, aid in detoxification, nourish the skin, reduce heat, eliminate fat, cleanse the liver, nourish the blood, and improve vision.
Salted duck eggs have a salty taste and a cool nature. They enter the heart, lung, and spleen meridians. Due to their downward direction and cooling nature, salted duck eggs, especially those that have been preserved, are even more effective than regular duck eggs in clearing lung heat, nourishing Yin, guiding fire downward, relieving irritability, and relaxing muscles. When the soup is ready, adding sesame oil not only keeps the vegetables vibrant green but also helps soothe the intestines, promote bowel movements, lower blood pressure, and detoxify the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, to eliminate excess heat, it's essential to provide an outlet, which can be achieved through sweating or regular bowel movements. Conversely, the inability to pass stool is a significant contributor to internal heat buildup during hot weather.
When making this soup, you can adjust the ingredients based on your specific symptoms. If you have gum swelling, foul breath, and need stomach fire relief, you can add a piece of soft tofu to enhance the stomach-clearing effect. For dry, itchy, red, and mucus-producing eyes, you can add diced carrots to clear heat, detoxify, and improve vision. If you've been indulging in smoking and drinking, leading to Yin deficiency and excessive internal heat, you can add pre-soaked salted pork bones, which will significantly enhance the heat-clearing and Yin-nourishing effects. If you're experiencing severe dry mouth and thirst, you can include 15 grams of pre-soaked Ophiopogon japonicus (maiyong) to nourish Yin and generate fluids.
During the scorching summer days, people often experience symptoms of excessive internal heat, such as dry mouth, bitter taste, headache, red eyes, sore throat, mouth ulcers, and constipation. A simple and convenient soup made from salted duck eggs and sweet potato leaves can provide effective relief. This soup is quick to prepare, rich in vegetables, and not only helps reduce internal heat but also aids in cooling, detoxification, weight loss, and slimming.
Here's how to make it: Take 200 grams of sweet potato leaves, 2 fresh salted duck eggs, a few slices of fresh ginger, and 5 bowls of water (approximately 200-250 milliliters per bowl). Wash the sweet potato leaves thoroughly, crack open the salted duck eggs, and mix the egg whites and yolks evenly. In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then add the sweet potato leaves and ginger slices. After a brief boil, pour in the mixed salted duck eggs, add a few drops of sesame oil, season with salt to taste, and enjoy the soup along with the vegetables.
Sweet potato leaves, also known as red potato leaves or yam leaves, have a sweet taste and a neutral nature. They belong to the large intestine meridian and are commonly seen spring and summer vegetables in various regions. They have a deep green color, are rich in dietary fiber and chlorophyll, and can promote intestinal peristalsis, alleviate constipation, aid in detoxification, nourish the skin, reduce heat, eliminate fat, cleanse the liver, nourish the blood, and improve vision.
Salted duck eggs have a salty taste and a cool nature. They enter the heart, lung, and spleen meridians. Due to their downward direction and cooling nature, salted duck eggs, especially those that have been preserved, are even more effective than regular duck eggs in clearing lung heat, nourishing Yin, guiding fire downward, relieving irritability, and relaxing muscles. When the soup is ready, adding sesame oil not only keeps the vegetables vibrant green but also helps soothe the intestines, promote bowel movements, lower blood pressure, and detoxify the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, to eliminate excess heat, it's essential to provide an outlet, which can be achieved through sweating or regular bowel movements. Conversely, the inability to pass stool is a significant contributor to internal heat buildup during hot weather.
When making this soup, you can adjust the ingredients based on your specific symptoms. If you have gum swelling, foul breath, and need stomach fire relief, you can add a piece of soft tofu to enhance the stomach-clearing effect. For dry, itchy, red, and mucus-producing eyes, you can add diced carrots to clear heat, detoxify, and improve vision. If you've been indulging in smoking and drinking, leading to Yin deficiency and excessive internal heat, you can add pre-soaked salted pork bones, which will significantly enhance the heat-clearing and Yin-nourishing effects. If you're experiencing severe dry mouth and thirst, you can include 15 grams of pre-soaked Ophiopogon japonicus (maiyong) to nourish Yin and generate fluids.