Codonopsis Old Chicken & Fish Maw Double-Steamed Stew

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.