Century Egg, Coriander, Spring Onion and Fish Broth

Why people make this dish

Late nights, air-conditioned offices and a fondness for fried or spicy food — it is easy to build up what Cantonese tradition calls internal dryness-heat, which can show up as a sore, inflamed throat, hoarse voice, cracked lips or mouth sores. Rather than reaching straight for bitter cooling teas (which can sometimes prolong the dryness), Chinese food therapy suggests moistening the lungs first and letting the heat resolve more gently. Century egg is a classic ingredient for this purpose: it is traditionally considered cooling and throat-moistening, and particularly good for clearing heat from the large intestine. This quick broth — just five to six minutes of simmering — is light enough to eat when you feel unwell, yet flavourful enough to enjoy as an everyday dish.