Fish is exceptionally nutritious, with therapeutic benefits that should not be underestimated. Different varieties also offer distinct health properties, making them a staple ingredient in many nourishing soups.Take carp, for instance. It aids digestion, promotes urination to reduce swelling, alleviates coughing and wheezing, and clears heat while detoxifying. Simmering it with winter melon and scallion whites in soup can ease edema symptoms. When cooked with a small amount of fritillary bulb, it exhibits anti-inflammatory properties and treats coughs and asthma.
Fish like yellow croaker and crucian carp, with their tender and flavorful flesh, make ideal nourishing soups for the elderly, convalescing patients, and lactating women.>To prepare fish soup, scale and clean fresh fish, remove innards and gills, then cut into small pieces. Heat oil in a pot, add scallions and ginger to sauté until fragrant. Stir-fry fish pieces for 2 minutes, then add boiling water. Bring to a vigorous boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer until the fish flakes off the bones and the broth thickens and turns milky white. Remove fish bones, season with salt, and drizzle with sesame oil before serving.
Adding a few slices of white radish, a splash of milk, or a pour of beer during cooking not only boosts nutrition but also tenderizes the fish and enhances the flavor.1 yellow croaker (approx. 500g), scallions, ginger, peanut oil, sesame oil, clear broth, cooking wine, ground pepper, salt, MSG to taste.
Method
1. Scale and gut the yellow croaker, rinse thoroughly. Soak winter bamboo shoots until tender, then slice. Rinse preserved mustard greens and chop finely. Rinse pork belly and slice thinly.
2. Heat peanut oil in a wok. Briefly pan-fry the fish on both sides. Add clear broth to the wok along with bamboo shoots, preserved mustard greens, pork slices, yellow croaker, and seasonings. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat for 15 minutes. Return to high heat to boil once more. Remove scallions and ginger. Sprinkle with MSG and ground pepper. Drizzle with sesame oil to finish.
Yellow Croaker Soup Recipe
Ingredients
200g cleaned yellow croaker fillet, 3g minced scallions, 50g tender bamboo shoots, 5g scallion segments, 25g cooked pork fat, 15g Shaoxing wine, 10g cooked ham, 4g salt, 1 egg, 3g MSG, 10g ginger juice, 450g clear broth,3g minced ginger, 60g cornstarch slurry, 75g rendered pork lard.
Method
1. Slice yellow croaker into 4cm-long, 2cm-wide, 1cm-thick pieces. Cut pork fat into fingernail-sized slices. Mince bamboo shoots and cooked ham. Beat egg in a bowl.
2.Heat 25g lard in a wok over medium heat. Add scallion segments and minced ginger, stir-frying until fragrant. Add fish slices, Shaoxing wine, ginger juice, clear broth, bamboo shoot mince, salt, and pork fat slices. Bring to a boil, skim off foam, then add MSG and wet starch slurry to thicken. Pour in beaten egg mixture and 50g lard,gently stir with a ladle to distribute evenly. Transfer to a soup bowl, sprinkle with chopped scallions and cooked ham bits, and serve.
Tea-Scented Chicken Broth Fish Slices Soup Recipe
Ingredients
5 ounces (approx. 200g) mandarin fish fillet, 1 ounce (approx. 40g) ham, 2 ounces each (approx. 80g) sliced winter bamboo shoots and mushrooms, 8 cups superior broth, appropriate amount of Longjing tea leaves, pinch each of salt, oil, and pepper powder.
Method
1. Slice the mandarin fish fillet and mix with salt, oil, and pepper.
2. Shred the ham and slice the mushrooms.
3. Bring the superior broth to a boil in a pot. Add the mandarin fish slices and ham shreds, boil for about 5 minutes, then pour into a large soup bowl. Season with salt.
4. Steep Longjing tea leaves in a glass cup and place it in the center of the serving bowl. Pour the tea into the soup just before serving.
Method
1. Clean and gut the yellow croaker. Score wavy cuts on both sides of the fish. Finely chop the preserved mustard greens.
2. Heat a wok over high heat. Add the yellow croaker and pan-fry until golden brown on both sides. Pour in cooking wine, cover, and steam briefly.
3. Add water, bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes until broth turns milky white. Add preserved mustard greens, salt, and scallion segments. Return to a boil over high heat, add MSG, then transfer to a large soup bowl.
Carp Clear Soup Recipe
Ingredients
1 carp, 80g old ginger,1 tablespoon goji berries.
Seasonings
2 tablespoons rice wine, 1 teaspoon salt.
Method
1. Remove gills and innards from carp, leaving scales intact. Rinse thoroughly. Alternatively, purchase pre-prepared carp for convenience.
2. Peel ginger, rinse, and slice thinly.
3.Heat oil in a pot. Add carp and lightly sear both sides. Pour in 600ml water, rice wine, salt, goji berries, and ginger slices. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
Note: Leaving scales intact allows proteins and calcium to infuse into the broth, providing optimal nourishment.
Feature: Benefits: Nourishes and strengthens vitality. Women experiencing low libido or pregnancy-related edema may consume this carp essence soup to alleviate symptoms.
Tofu and Crucian Carp Soup
Ingredients
Crucian carp, tofu, carrots, enoki mushrooms, ginger, scallion segments, cooking wine, pepper powder, bok choy hearts
Method
>Tofu and Crucian Carp Soup
1. Gut the crucian carp, scale and rinse thoroughly. Pat dry with a cloth and make incisions on the fish body.
2. Cut tofu into small cubes, slice carrots, and mince ginger.
3. Use lard to pan-fry the fish—this yields a milky broth with enhanced flavor.
4.Once both sides of the fish develop a slight crust, add water;
5. Add cooking wine, ginger, pepper powder, carrots, and simmer until the broth turns milky white;
6. Add tofu and enoki mushrooms, cook for 2 minutes, then add Chinese broccoli. Season with salt to taste.
Tomato Fish Soup
Ingredients: Fish, oil, scallions, ginger, white vinegar, tomatoes, Chinese cabbage leaves, salt, pepper
Tomato Fish Soup
Method:
1. Clean the fish thoroughly. Heat oil in a pan and sear the fish on both sides until it changes color;
2. Add sliced scallions, ginger chunks, boiling water, and a few drops of white vinegar to the pot;
3. Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, keeping the broth bubbling constantly to achieve a rich, creamy white color;
4. Add sliced tomatoes, then lettuce leaves, salt, and pepper. Turn off the heat and serve.
Tips for Removing Fish Odor
1. For stewing whole fish, lightly pan-fry both sides in oil first. After frying, sauté ginger and cooking wine until fragrant. Add cold water and bring to a boil over high heat—do not move the fish before boiling. Simmer gently until the broth turns white, then add a splash of vinegar. Season with salt and chicken bouillon just before serving, and garnish with chopped scallions.
2. For fish soup with fillets: Sauté ginger slices in oil until fragrant, add cooking wine, then pour in cold water. Wait until the water boils before adding the fish.
3. If ginger isn't available, substitute with cilantro. Lightly pan-fry the fish on both sides until slightly golden. Add cold water and bring to a boil. Add a few cilantro sprigs, then remove them after cooking.
4. Add complementary ingredients. For example, king oyster mushrooms—mushrooms generally enhance aroma and umami. King oyster mushrooms feature thick, crisp flesh with a subtle almond fragrance.
5. Add white wine. After stewing the fish, a splash of white wine effectively removes fishiness while imparting a refreshing wine aroma.
6. Scallion greens and vinegar are the best seasonings for removing fishiness—feel free to add generously!
Benefits of Crucian Carp Soup
Crucian carp soup is rich in protein, promoting lactation and aiding postpartum recovery. Its comprehensive, high-quality protein strengthens skin elasticity fibers.It particularly alleviates early wrinkles caused by stress, lack of sleep, and other psychological factors.
Contraindications: Crucian carp nourishes deficiencies with no known contraindications. However, avoid excessive consumption during colds or fevers.
[Properties] Sweet taste, mildly warm nature. Nourishes the spleen, stimulates appetite, promotes diuresis, and expels dampness.
[Composition] Contains protein, fat, vitamins A, B1, B2, B12, niacin, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other components.
[Indications] Used for spleen-stomach deficiency with poor appetite, fatigue, vomiting, or diarrhea; spleen deficiency edema with difficult urination; qi and blood deficiency with reduced lactation; bloody stools, or bleeding hemorrhoids.
[Usage] Decoct into soup, stew, steam, or incorporate into dishes.
Crucian carp is sweet and neutral in nature, entering the spleen, stomach, and large intestine meridians. It fortifies the spleen and promotes fluid metabolism to relieve coughing. Adding scallion whites and ginger—pungent and warm to release exterior pathogens—unblocks yang, dispels cold, and harmonizes the stomach. Combined with mint, it further disperses wind and releases exterior pathogens. This formula comprehensively fortifies the body, expels pathogens, disperses wind and cold, strengthens the spleen, and stops coughing—treating chronic cough in frail infants.