Green Papaya, Red-Skin Peanut and Fish Soup

Why people make this soup

Red fish (hong shan or hong zhan) are slim, small, bright-red freshwater fish that occasionally appear at wet-market fish stalls. They are somewhat difficult to prepare because of their small size and fine texture, so most home cooks use them primarily for soup. Despite the modest appearance, their nutritional value is impressive — rich in minerals, protein and vitamins — and they are particularly well-suited to pregnant women, those who have recently given birth, and breastfeeding mothers. Green (unripe) papaya paired with red-skin peanuts and red dates creates a soup with a naturally rosy colour and a gently sweet, clean flavour. Together, these ingredients are traditionally associated with smoothing and brightening the skin, supporting blood quality, strengthening digestion and encouraging breastmilk production.

Method

1. Peel and seed the green papaya; cut into chunks. Rinse the red-skin peanuts (keep skins on). Pit the red dates.
2. Cut the head and belly off the red fish at a diagonal, rinse and pat dry. Heat a little oil in a pan and pan-fry the fish until golden.
3. Place all ingredients — including the pan-fried fish — into a pot with 2.1 L of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer steadily for 1 hour until the soup has reduced to about 1.2 L.
5. Serve the soup and solid ingredients together and enjoy.

Nourilo’s Tips

The red skin of the peanut is the most important component for blood-supporting purposes — removing it before cooking wastes the very part that makes this soup effective. Green (unripe) papaya, rather than ripe yellow papaya, is used here because it contains more of the enzymes traditionally associated with digestion support and breastmilk production. If red fish is not available at your local market, ask for it by name — it is worth seeking out. If unavailable, another small freshwater fish can be substituted.