Four-Herbs Fresh Fish Soup

Why people make this soup

Some people have a normal appetite yet struggle to put on weight, with slender arms and legs that can make them look undernourished. Traditionally, this may be associated with a weak spleen and stomach and poor absorption. Nourilo suggests turning to the well-known traditional food-therapy recipe known as “Four Herbs Soup” (Si Shen Tang).

The classic combination uses four mild Chinese medicinal ingredients: Chinese yam, lotus seeds, fox nuts and poria. In the past, Four Herbs Soup was commonly made with pork stomach or pork intestine. Nourilo notes that many middle-aged and older people today have high blood lipids or cholesterol, so he prefers fresh fish or lean pork instead of animal offal.

This Four-Herbs Fresh Fish Soup is traditionally used to support the spleen, dispel dampness and aid digestion, and is associated with supporting the body’s natural defences.