Water Chestnut, Chayote and Grass Carp Soup

Why people make this soup

Water chestnuts have a special place in Cantonese home cooking. They are sweet, crunchy, cooling — and this soup makes wonderful use of that natural freshness. Chinese food therapy regards water chestnut (ma ti) as an ingredient that clears heat, promotes fluids, opens the appetite, and moistens the lungs. Modern studies have identified a compound in water chestnuts sometimes called puchiin or horseshoe silicon (bi qi su) that shows antihypertensive and antibacterial properties in research settings, though it is important to note that this is still an area of ongoing study. Paired with chayote — one of the most nutritionally balanced of the gourd vegetables — and a quickly pan-fried grass carp tail, this soup is light, sweet, and easy to make on a weeknight. It is the kind of simple, nourishing soup that forms the backbone of Cantonese family wellness cooking.

Method

1. Wash and peel the water chestnuts. Always cook water chestnuts before eating — do not consume raw.
2. Peel the chayote and cut into large chunks.
3. Clean and rinse the grass carp tail. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the fish tail until golden on both sides.
4. Combine the fish, water chestnuts, chayote, and ginger in a pot with 1.8–2.1 L of water.
5. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until the soup reduces to about 1.2 L.
6. Serve the broth and eat the soup ingredients together.

Nourilo’s Tips

Winter water chestnuts are particularly sweet and juicy — this is the best time of year to make this soup. Chayote is one of those underrated vegetables that is genuinely more nutritious than many of its counterparts; it is excellent for children with poor appetite and for anyone recovering from surgery. If family members don’t eat fish, lean pork works equally well as a substitute. Remove the core of the chayote before cooking.