Soup Name: Black Beans Herbal Soup
What Ingredients are required?
1 whole chicken (black)
50 g black beans
15 g dried chinese yam
15 g dried wolfberries
15 g codonopsis pilosula root (dang shen)
15 g astragalus root
10 g dried longan
6 large dried dates
600 mL hot water
How do I prepare it?
- Prepare the chicken
- Thoroughly rinse all herbs in running water
- Pan fry the black beans without any oil
- Put all ingredients inside a double-boiler pot
- Add hot water
- Cover and boil for 2 to 3 hours
- Salt (optional) and enjoy
Any benefits?
- Black bean herbal soup is a popular soup for confinement with several variations (including the addition of old ginger and sesame oil).
- The black beans are highly nutritious and this particular soup is low in fat.
- This soup can be combined with a bowl of simple white rice for a complete meal
Any precautions?
- None that I can think of. Simply eat everything in moderation. Enjoy!
On your summary of astragalus root, it says that the root should not be taken if you are breast feeding. Do you by any chance know why its harmful? Been trying to find out if I should make the soup or not.
Dear Kaman,
It’s supposedly a milk suppressant (similar to ginseng roots). I don’t think it’s harmful to the body though. Hope this helps! LIsa
Hi Lady Tong
i intend to go for c-sect, with these confinement soup do you recommend that i take them after immediately or after a certain period of time.
i’m living overseas and do not have a confinement nanny.
Dear Ruthie,
You can prepare the soup bases (freeze them into concentrated packs with freezer bags) and then add ingredients to supplement the base during confinement. We’re building a calendar of when to eat the soups, but the idea is that for the first 10-12 days, you have a light confinement diet (not too heavy on the herbs). After that, you can ramp up on the herbs and do a full body-healing regime. We’re still in the process of finishing the calendar/menu, so please check out the confinement story #7 on the front page. Hope this helps and g’luck! Lisa
Hi Lisa,
If astragalus root is a milk suppressant, is it suitable to drink this soup if I am breastfeeding? Fionn