Codonopsis, Tsaoko and Fresh Fish Soup

Why people make this soup

Small, fresh sea fish — red snapper, threadfin, croaker, tilehead and the like — make a sweet, fragrant broth that carries warming herbs beautifully. Nourilo turns them into a warming soup with codonopsis, tsaoko and cassia that is traditionally said to warm the middle and strengthen the stomach. It is the kind of soup he reaches for when someone has chronic gastritis, a cold stomach, dull aching pain, watery vomiting, loose stools and a tired, run-down feeling.

Method

1. Clean and gut the fish, then pan-fry in a little oil until fragrant.
2. Rinse the remaining ingredients.
3. Place everything in a pot with 1.8 L of water.
4. Simmer for about 1 hour down to 0.9–1.2 L. Serve.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is very tasty. If you dislike the flavor of cassia bark, you can replace it with about 8 g of white peppercorns — both warm the stomach and dispel cold, though their actions differ a little.