Chi Xiao Dou (Vigna umbellata) — Dried Red Adzuki Beans, Food-Herb Grain for Soup & Congee

Chi Xiao Dou (Vigna umbellata), also known as Red Adzuki Bean or Rice Bean, is the dried seed of a traditional food-herb grain known in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as Chì Xiǎo Dòu (赤小豆). For centuries it has been prized as a gentle, water-regulating food herb used in soups, congees, and seasonal grain blends. Its nature is sweet, sour, and neutral, making it a mild yet effective ingredient for supporting fluid balance and soothing dampness.

Key Selling Points

• Traditional food-herb red adzuki bean
• Long-grain Chi Xiao Dou variety
• Naturally sun-dried, new-crop quality
• Suitable for soup, congee, and grain blends
• 500g bulk pack from Guangxi origin

Quality & Sensory

Each batch is naturally sun-dried to preserve its deep reddish-brown color, firm smooth texture, and clean, faintly earthy aroma. When simmered, the beans soften into a creamy, slightly sweet flesh that lends body and a mild nutty flavor to soups and congees without overpowering other ingredients.

Technical Specifications

Usage Scenarios

• Chinese-style soup and broth
• Congee and grain porridge
• Herbal tea blends with coix seed
• Seasonal damp-clearing grain mixes
• Everyday culinary grain ingredient

Traditional Uses

In folk herbal practice, Chi Xiao Dou is simmered into soups, congees, and grain tonics to support daily fluid balance and gentle dampness relief. It is a classic companion to coix seed (Yi Mi) and Euryale seed (Qian Shi) in traditional soup packs, and is often cooked with jujube and lotus seed for a nourishing congee. As a daily tea, it is brewed alone or blended with coix seed for a light, mildly sweet infusion.

FAQ Q&A