Many people say that this summer is exceptionally hot and dry, causing dry mouth, body heat, irritability, and shortness of breath. Sugar cane and Imperata Root Soup is a traditional herbal tea that almost every Cantonese family brews. When I was a child, after school, my mother would say, “Let’s make some sugar cane and Imperata Root Soup.” We would immediately gather around the pot and ladle out the clear and refreshing sugarcane water. Drinking it in big gulps was truly refreshing and more healthy and nourishing than drinking sugary soda
✅ 你的關注給我最大的鼓勵，點這裡訂閱肥丁 YouTube 頻道 https://goo.gl/rBq3rJ
Sugar cane can be used to make sugar, and it has a natural sweetness. We don’t add sugar to our sugar cane soup at home, but we add chestnuts and water chestnuts to enhance the sweetness. Drinking sugar cane soup helps clear heat, relieve summer heat, and moisten dryness, making it suitable for hot summer days. Sugar cane is a versatile ingredient that can be paired with white Imperata Root to enhance its cooling effect. Other ingredients can be freely mixed and matched. For example, the soup I made for Mr. Panda also included corn silk, which can help lower blood sugar and blood pressure. However, bamboo cane is a cold-natured herb, so my mother also added Chinese dates to neutralize its cooling effect.
Although sugar cane soup can relieve heat, it is not recommended to drink it every day. It is best to drink it once or twice a week
The basic recipe for bamboo cane soup includes white bamboo cane and white Imperata Root, and it can be paired with the following ingredients:
Corn silk – also known as “corn whiskers” or “corn stigmas”. It refers to the silk-like threads found on the ear of corn. Corn silk has a particularly good diuretic effect and can be used for conditions such as edema, difficulty urinating, and blocked milk ducts. It can also help to lower blood sugar and blood pressure. (Neutral)
Water chestnuts – can clear heat and detoxify, and relieve infantile heat rash. (Cold)
Chestnuts – are a good kidney tonic, and can invigorate the spleen and benefit Qi, as well as clear heat and detoxify. (Neutral)
Carrots – can clear heat, dispel dampness, and nourish the spleen and stomach. (Neutral)
Chinese dates or ginger
Chinese dates – are warm and non-drying, and can neutralize the cooling effect of bamboo cane. (Warm)
Ginger – can stop nausea and vomiting, and neutralize the cooling effect of bamboo cane. (Warm)
Ingredients
- Sugar Cane 560 ~ 600 g
- Fresh or Dry Imperatae 20 g
- Water Chestnut 300 g
- Peeled Chestnut 300 g
- Carrot １pcs
- Black Chinese Date 3 ~ 4 pcs
- Dried Corn Silk 20 g
- Water 4L
Instructions
1. Boil the water chestnuts in boiling water for 10 minutes. Water chestnuts grow in ponds and are often covered in bacteria and parasites. I like to blanch them in boiling water before peeling to kill any germs. After blanching, I cool them down in cold water, peel them, and soak them in clean water to prevent them from turning black
2. Wash the corn silk and squeeze out any excess water
3. Stand the white sugar cane upright on a cutting board and use a knife to split it into four sections from top to bottom. If you buy pre-cut sugarcane from a store, it will already be peeled and cut into sections, making it easier to release the sweetness
4. Peel the carrots and cut them into chunks
5. In a large pot, add the sugarcane, carrots, white Imperata Root, chestnuts, water chestnuts, Chinese dates or ginger, and corn silk. Add enough boiling water to cover the ingredients, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours
