Coriander, Scallion, Ginger, Century Egg & Grass Carp Soup

Why people make this soup

Late nights, rich food, too much alcohol, smoking — the modern lifestyle takes a toll on the throat and lungs. People who frequently eat fried, spicy, or heavy food often develop a pattern Chinese medicine calls “lung heat”: a dry throat, cracked lips, mild mouth ulcers, or a feeling of inner restlessness. This soup is Bro Niu’s go-to for exactly this situation — and the beauty of it is that almost every ingredient is already in your kitchen. Coriander, scallions, ginger, a century egg, and a piece of fresh fish: nothing exotic, nothing expensive, but combined in a light broth they make something genuinely restorative.

Century egg might seem like an unusual ingredient to Western cooks, but it’s one of Bro Niu’s favorites for its food-therapy properties: it contains more minerals than a regular duck egg, can neutralize excess stomach acid, nourishes lung yin, and clears lung heat. The coriander adds its characteristic warmth and aromatic quality, while scallions gently open the pores and support the body’s surface circulation. Ginger anchors everything with its stomach-warming effect.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Suited for most adults and children after periods of rich eating, alcohol consumption, or mild respiratory illness; helpful for those with dry throats, mild mouth ulcers, or hoarse voice
• Also useful after colds where the main remaining symptom is throat dryness or mild aching
• Those who perspire excessively should not take this soup — the surface-opening action of coriander and scallion is not suitable when the body is already losing too much fluid through the skin
• People with fish allergy should obviously avoid grass carp; a lean pork substitute can be used

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Coriander (yuan sui): In Chinese medicine, associated with moving qi inward from the surface (heart and spleen), promoting circulation, and exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties; its pungent aroma is considered to have a dispersing and clearing quality
• Green scallion (qing cong): Associated with soothing liver qi stagnation, opening channels and collaterals, and promoting a gentle sweat to release exterior pathogenic factors; also said to support the surface circulation
• Ginger (sheng jiang): Warms the stomach, disperses cold, and promotes digestion; anchors the cooler elements in this soup
• Century egg (pi dan): A preserved duck egg with a distinctive dark, gelatinous appearance and rich flavor; in Chinese food therapy it contains more minerals than fresh duck egg, can stimulate appetite, neutralize excess stomach acid, nourish lung yin, and clear accumulated lung heat
• Grass carp (wan yu): A freshwater fish associated in Chinese tradition with supporting the spleen and stomach, warming the middle, and supplementing qi and blood; a mild-flavored, easily digestible protein

Ingredients (4–5 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Coriander / cilantro	4 stalks	Roots removed, washed, cut into sections
Green scallions	4–5 stalks	Roots removed, washed, cut into sections
Fresh ginger	3 slices	Peeled or unpeeled
Century egg (pi dan)	2	Shelled, halved
Grass carp fillet (wan yu)	1 fillet	Scaled, washed, thinly sliced

Method

1. Trim roots from the coriander and scallions; wash well and cut into 5 cm sections.
2. Shell the century eggs and cut in half.
3. Scale and wash the grass carp fillet; slice into thin pieces on the diagonal.
4. Bring 5 bowls of water to a boil in a pot.
5. Add all ingredients together to the boiling water.
6. Simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Season lightly with salt and serve warm. Good for the whole family.

Bro Niu’s tips

This soup is fragrant and clear-tasting — light enough that you want more, but genuinely nourishing. It is particularly good for people recovering from a cold who still have a dry or sore throat, or for anyone whose throat feels rough and voice is husky from talking too much, too much air-conditioning, or a bout of internal heat from rich eating. Those who sweat a lot should skip this one, as the surface-opening action is not right for them. A great weeknight soup when you need something quick and restorative.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Yu): My mother has a persistent dry cough with no phlegm, and also has some fatty liver. Could this recipe or another drink help? Bro Niu: For both the fatty liver and the cough, try five-flavor berry (wu wei zi) — 3 qian — with wolfberries (gou qi zi) — 2 qian — and licorice root — 2 qian — simmered in 4 bowls of water for 20 minutes. Drink after meals. Reduce to 2–3 times per week once the cough improves.

• Q (Polly): I’ve just had cataract surgery. What soups are good for recovery? Bro Niu: Use goji leaf (gou qi ye) — 4 liang — with wolfberries (gou qi zi) — 3 qian — in a boiling soup with pork liver and sliced pork. Good for the eyes and blood-nourishing. You can also brew dried mulberry (sang shen) and wolfberries as a daily tea.

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Published February 9, 2023 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.