Step 1

First, rinse the beans, dried lily bulb pieces, and sweet rice under cold water. Add them to a large bowl, and cover with a few inches of water. Soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Step 2

Drain the beans, lily bulb, and rice, and transfer to a large pot along with 8 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the beans are very soft and beginning to break down. Fresher beans cook faster, while older beans can take a while to cook through, so monitor the cooking process and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Step 3

If using sago or tapioca, add it to the soup after it’s been cooking for about 40 minutes. It will take about 20 minutes for them to cook through (they will be completely translucent).

Step 4

Finally, stir in your sweetener to taste. You can also refrain from adding sugar at this point, and each person can sweeten their individual bowls to taste.