Home-Style Dishes
Codonopsis Old Chicken & Fish Maw Double-Steamed Stew
Traditionally associated with replenishing qi and blood after childbirth and supporting wound healing
In short: Codonopsis Old Chicken & Fish Maw Double-Steamed Stew is a home-style dishe that Traditionally associated with replenishing qi and blood after childbirth and supporting wound healing. It is most often made for women's wellness, children's wellness, energy & vitality. Total time about 3 hr 20 min. Key ingredients: codonopsis root, red dates, ginger.
Why people make this stew
Childbirth — whether natural or by caesarean section — places enormous demands on a woman’s body. In Cantonese traditional practice, postpartum recovery (做月, “sitting the month”) is taken seriously, with specific foods chosen to rebuild qi, blood, and collagen-like substances lost during delivery. Nourilo particularly recommends this stew for new mothers, noting that old hen (an older laying hen rather than a young broiler) produces a broth with far more natural gelatin — you can observe this by letting the cooled soup set into a jelly. Fish maw (the dried swim bladder of large fish, rehydrated) is prized in Chinese food culture as a natural source of collagen and nourishing protein, traditionally thought to help the body regenerate tissue and rebuild strength. Together with codonopsis — a gentler alternative to ginseng that supports qi without excessive heat — this makes one of the most practical and delicious postpartum tonics Nourilo knows.
What studies say about the key ingredients
Traditional use is not the same as clinical proof. Here is the strongest human research we found for each ingredient, limitations included.
- Red dates
Jujube was associated with significantly lower BMI and triglycerides, and lower fasting blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. LDL and total cholesterol fell only in some subgroups. HDL, AST and ALT did not change significantly.Limitation: The authors state the overall quality of the evidence is limited, and results varied significantly by dose, treatment duration and disease type.PubMed 40399274 · 3 more red dates studies - Ginger
Overall, acute and delayed nausea and vomiting did not differ significantly between ginger and control groups. A subgroup taking 1 g/day or less for over four days had less acute vomiting (OR 0.30).Limitation: Clinical heterogeneity between trials required subgroup analyses, and the authors state that sufficiently large, high-quality RCTs are still needed.PubMed 36501010 · 3 more ginger studies
From the Nourilo Research Library. Findings come from specific doses, extracts and populations and may not apply to a home-cooked recipe.
Safety first — read before you cook
This is a traditional food, not a treatment. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist before making it a regular part of your diet if you:
- are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are cooking for a young child;
- take regular medicines — especially blood thinners, blood-pressure, diabetes or immune-suppressing drugs;
- have a kidney, liver or heart condition, or a known food allergy.
Stop eating it and seek advice if you notice an allergic reaction or feel unwell. Safety notes reviewed 8 October 2026 · How we write safety notes
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