Lotus Root, Black Bean and Octopus Soup

Why people make this soup

Postpartum hair loss is remarkably common — most new mothers notice significant shedding in the weeks after delivery, as the body recalibrates its hormones. In Chinese food therapy, this is understood as a depletion of liver blood during pregnancy and birth, and the traditional approach is to replenish that blood through nourishing foods. This soup does that work through the combination of iron-rich dried octopus, blood-building black beans (which are dry-toasted to enhance their warming quality), and lotus root, which adds a gentle astringent quality. The result is a deeply savory, satisfying soup that Cantonese families have made for new mothers for generations.