Five-Color Vegetable Soup (Hairy Gourd, Carrot, Shiitake, Fig & Cashew)

Why people make this soup

Most new mothers who breastfeed know that what they eat directly affects both their recovery and their milk. The challenge in the very first days after birth is finding something genuinely nourishing that won’t block the milk ducts or make the body work too hard. Heavy soups full of protein-rich meats, fish maw, or dense tonic herbs — the kind traditionally associated with postpartum “confinement” — are often too rich too soon. They can thicken the milk before the baby has established a good feeding rhythm, sometimes leading to blocked ducts or mastitis. The same principle applies after surgery: the digestive system needs gentle support, not a heavy load.

This five-color vegetable soup takes a different, smarter approach. By combining vegetables of naturally different colors — pale green gourd, orange carrot, brown mushroom, green fig — you cover a wide range of vitamins and fibre. The cashew nuts and dried figs contribute a quiet, nutty richness that supports milk production without overwhelming the body. Clean, light, and completely suitable for both those who have just given birth and those recovering from surgery.

Method

1. Scrape the hairy gourd skin and cut into large chunks.
2. Peel and chop the carrot.
3. Remove the stems from the fresh shiitake mushrooms; keep caps whole or halve if large.
4. Halve the dried figs; rinse and drain the cashews.
5. Place all the ingredients into a large pot. Add 2.4 L of cold water.
6. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
7. Serve hot, eating both the soup and all the softened ingredients.

Nourilo’s Tips

This soup is clean, naturally sweet, and just as good for the whole family as it is for new mothers. The combination of figs and cashews provides the quiet, gentle support that lactation needs in those early days without overloading a still-recovering digestive system. If you have had an abdominal surgery (including caesarean section), this is an excellent first-week soup. The fibre in the vegetables and figs also supports comfortable bowel movement — a real benefit in those first days of recovery.