Fresh Dendrobium, Chinese Yam and Mudfish Soup

Why people make this soup

After surgery or a serious illness, appetite is often poor, fluid levels feel depleted, and the body needs easily absorbed nourishment. Chinese food therapy has a long tradition of soups designed for exactly this kind of recovery period. Mudfish (niu qiu yu) is a freshwater fish with a rich, sweet broth and high protein content, making it especially suitable for people who feel weak and have difficulty eating. Paired with fresh dendrobium — a herb traditionally prized for replenishing body fluids and calming a dry, feverish feeling — and fresh Chinese yam to protect the stomach lining and aid absorption, this soup is gentle, flavourful and nourishing without being heavy.

Method

1. Clean the mudfish thoroughly. Heat a little oil in a pan with the ginger slices and pan-fry the fish until lightly golden. Place the fish into a fish soup bag (or muslin cloth).
2. Rinse the fresh dendrobium and cut into sections. Peel the Chinese yam and carrot, cut into chunks. Pit the red dates.
3. Place all ingredients — including the fish in its bag — into a pot with 2.4 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer steadily for 1.5 hours until the soup has reduced to about 1.2–1.5 L.
5. Remove the fish bag. Serve the soup with the solid ingredients and enjoy.

Nourilo’s Tips

Fresh dendrobium has a mildly sweet, slightly sticky taste — that stickiness signals the polysaccharides that make it food-therapeutically valuable. Look for stems with a slightly purplish skin; fresh dendrobium is available at Chinese herb shops and Asian grocers, or online. If fresh dendrobium is unavailable, use 9 g (11 g) of dried dendrobium. The American ginseng (花旗参) should be added after the soup is cooked — steeped for 5 minutes off the heat — to preserve its beneficial volatile compounds. Pan-frying the fish in ginger before adding it to the pot removes any muddy smell and helps produce a more fragrant broth.