Astragalus, Codonopsis and Sea Bass Soup

Why people make this soup

Sea bass is one of those rare ingredients that sits comfortably in both the kitchen and the traditional dispensary. In Chinese food therapy, it is considered neutral in nature and mildly sweet — qualities that make it suitable for a very wide range of people. What makes it particularly well regarded is its high protein content and gentle, non-heating character, which practitioners have long associated with supporting the body’s natural repair processes after surgery or childbirth. Paired with astragalus root and codonopsis — two of the most commonly used tonic herbs in Cantonese home cooking — this soup builds on a simple formula that generations of families have turned to when someone in the house needs to regain strength.

Method

1. Rinse the astragalus root and codonopsis in cold water and set aside.
2. Clean the sea bass thoroughly; pat dry with kitchen paper.
3. Heat a little oil in a pan or wok over medium heat and fry the fish on both sides until lightly golden. This step removes the fishy odour and adds depth to the soup.
4. Pit the red dates.
5. Place all ingredients — fish, herbs, ginger, red dates — into a pot with 2.1 L of water.
6. Bring to a vigorous boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
7. Cook for 40 minutes over low-medium heat until the soup turns a milky, fragrant colour.
8. Season lightly with salt if desired. Serve hot; eat the fish along with the soup.

Nourilo’s Tips

Sea bass from the sea gives a significantly better result in this soup than farmed freshwater bass. If sea bass is hard to find, another option Nourilo frequently recommends is stone fish (shi chong yu / 石崇鱼), which has a similar therapeutic character and produces a wonderfully flavourful broth. This soup is not just for surgical recovery — it is equally beneficial for the spleen-deficient person prone to mild puffiness, and for anyone with liver and kidney deficiency. People with skin disease, boils, or active sores should skip it. You can add fu ling (poria) or bai zhu if you also want to address dampness.