Hong Kong summers are hot and humid. If you often feel tired, lose your appetite, or even experience water retention, it may be a sign of excess dampness rather than illness. Instead of relying on iced drinks that may burden the digestive system, try making a few simple cooling soups and herbal drinks with dried ingredients you already keep at home.
Below are 3 easy summer recipes using dried ingredients available at Global Medicine.
1. Old Cucumber, Hyacinth Bean, and Job’s Tears Soup
Highlights: old cucumber helps dispel dampness, while raw and cooked Job’s tears help clear heat. This is a classic summer home soup with a light and naturally sweet flavor.
Ingredients:
- Old cucumber: 1 piece, skin on, seeds removed, cut into chunks
- Raw Job’s tears + cooked Job’s tears: about 40g total
- Hyacinth beans: 30g
- Honey dates: 2-3 pieces
- Pork shank / lean pork: about 400g, blanched
- Dried tangerine peel: 1 piece
Method:
- Soak the Job’s tears, hyacinth beans, and tangerine peel for 30 minutes.
- Put all ingredients into a pot with cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat for 1.5 hours.
- Season lightly with salt and serve.
2. Winter Melon, Lotus Leaf, and Job’s Tears Tea
Highlights: ready in about 30 minutes, suitable for people prone to water retention, and helpful after meals. It can be enjoyed hot or chilled.
Ingredients:
- Winter melon: about 600g, skin and seeds included, cut into chunks
- Dried lotus leaf: 1 small piece, about 10g
- Raw Job’s tears: 30g
- Dried tangerine peel: 1 piece
- Rock sugar: a little, optional
Method:
- Soak the Job’s tears, tangerine peel, and lotus leaf for 15 minutes.
- Add all ingredients, including the winter melon skin and seeds, to a pot with 2 liters of water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
- Strain and drink. Chilled, it makes a very refreshing summer herbal tea.
3. Fig, Lily Bulb, and Tangerine Peel Drink
Highlights: extremely easy to make and does not even require a stove. It is soothing for a dry throat after spending time in air-conditioned spaces during summer.
Ingredients:
- Dried figs: 3-4 pieces, cut open
- Longya lily bulb: 15g
- Dried tangerine peel: 1 small piece
- Water: 1.5 liters
Method (two ways):
- Quick version: place all ingredients in an insulated bottle, add boiling water, and steep for 30 minutes. You can refill with water several times.
- Richer version: simmer everything in cold water for 30 minutes, then let it cool before drinking.
Tip: figs are naturally sweet, so no extra sugar is needed. Even children usually enjoy it.
Summer Reminder for Buying Dried Goods
- Dried ingredients such as Job’s tears, hyacinth beans, and lily bulbs are more likely to absorb moisture or attract insects in summer. Store them in airtight containers or in the refrigerator after purchase.
- All dried goods from Global Medicine are sold in vacuum-sealed / airtight packaging to help prevent moisture and insects and to make storage easier after opening.
- All of the ingredients above are available individually in our online shop, and we also offer ready-made summer dampness-relief soup packs that include everything in one set.
👉 Shop summer soup ingredients here
👉 Enjoy free delivery on orders over $1000
You are welcome to visit our stores or place an order online. In the middle of summer, a good bowl of soup with your family is often more comforting than an iced drink.
