Hairy Gourd, Garlic & Loach Soup

Why people make this soup

Loach may look like an unremarkable little freshwater fish, but it’s long been nicknamed the “ginseng of the water.” In tradition it’s valued for nourishing the blood, supporting iron levels, looking after the heart and blood vessels, and supplying calcium for the bones — and it’s particularly associated with supporting people whose liver function has weakened. Loach is traditionally used to nourish yin, ease thirst and clear damp-heat, and is a classic choice for liver-care soups. Here Nourilo pairs it with hairy gourd, garlic and lean pork — a soup traditionally considered helpful for those with hepatitis or damp-heat jaundice.