Kudzu Root, Dried Oyster and Fish Head Soup

Why people make this soup

Many working adults in Hong Kong and across Cantonese communities find themselves in situations where socialising over drinks is unavoidable — business dinners, client lunches, celebrations. Even a moderate amount of alcohol, when it becomes a regular occurrence, can leave the body feeling hot, thirsty, and foggy. This soup centres on kudzu root (fen ge / ge gen), one of the most celebrated ingredients in Cantonese food therapy for its cooling, fluid-generating properties. Together with dried oysters — which are at their plumpest and most zinc-rich during Chinese New Year season — and a fish head that adds collagen and a deeply satisfying savoury richness, this soup is enjoyed both as an after-occasion recovery drink and as a general wellness soup for anyone who tends to run warm. It is also traditionally associated with supporting brain clarity and memory.