Beetroot, Frog, Tomato and Carrot Soup

Why people make this soup

Bright red and richly coloured soups have a special place in Cantonese food therapy — the traditional view is that red, orange, and yellow pigments in vegetables signal the presence of provitamin A (beta-carotene), which the body converts into vitamin A for eye and skin health. Beetroot is worth seeking out for this purpose: the leaves can also be used in the pot, and the resulting soup is a gorgeous deep crimson, naturally sweet, and far more complex than anything from a packet.

Paired with tomato, carrot, and red dates for sweetness and further carotenoid content, and with frog meat (a prized ingredient in Cantonese cooking for its delicate, lean protein), this soup becomes something genuinely special. Traditional food therapy associates frog meat with nourishing yin and promoting circulation — it is also considered a “guiding ingredient” that helps carry the nutrients from the other ingredients upward to the face and eyes. If frogs are not available or preferred, lean pork works perfectly well as a substitute.