Double-Boiled Fish Maw, Conch and Silkie Chicken Soup

Why people make this soup

Cold weather is perfect for double-boiling something nourishing to keep warm. But some people “can’t take strong tonics” — the moment they eat one, their mouth feels bitter and dry and the chest feels stuffy and hot. For them, Nourilo reaches for gentler, yin-nourishing, moistening ingredients like fish maw and sea whelk. Traditionally this soup is used to nourish yin and blood and gently support the kidneys, and is associated with helping people who feel weak and weary with a sallow complexion.

Method

1. Rinse the frozen whelk; clean the silkie chicken. Blanch the whelk, chicken and fish maw together.
2. Place everything in a double-boil pot.
3. Pour in 1.2 L of boiling water and double-boil (steam) for about 3 hours. Serve the soup and solids together.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is fresh and delicious and the whole family can have it — but not while a cold is unresolved, nor for those with a cold, weak spleen and stomach. To prepare fish maw, do not cook it hard: soak overnight in cold water, then bring water to a boil, drop the fish maw in, turn off the heat and let stand 1–2 hours.