Spaghetti Squash Fresh Abalone Soup (Yu Chi Gua Xian Bao Yu Tang)

Why people make this soup

Nourilo is a fan of squash: the nutrition runs all through it, from skin to flesh to seeds. Spaghetti squash (yu chi gua, “shark-fin gourd”) is a low-sweetness, low-starch variety — its white flesh pulls apart into shimmering strands a bit like shark’s fin, which is how it got the name. Squash contains trace cobalt, traditionally associated with supporting healthy blood sugar, and it is low in calories, making it a friendly choice for those watching their sugar. Simmered with corn, carrot, scallop and fresh baby abalone, the soup nourishes gently — neither too cooling nor too warming — and is well suited to people watching blood sugar or feeling dry and overheated (yin-deficient).

Method

1. Rinse the squash (skin on), deseed and cut into chunks. Husk and chop the corn; peel and chunk the carrot.
2. Soak and rinse the scallops. Clean the fresh abalone, scrub the shells clean, and blanch.
3. Simmer all ingredients in about 9 cups of water for 2 hours, until reduced to 1.5–1.8 L. Eat the soup and ingredients together.

Nourilo’s Tips

Fresh baby abalone is available at fishmongers and Asian seafood counters; ask to have them cleaned if needed, and simmer with the shell. The abalone shell, known as shi jue ming, is traditionally associated with clearing heat, brightening the eyes, and easing dizziness from rising liver-yang. This soup is sweet and pleasant for all ages, and is especially welcome for people who work long hours at a screen with tired eyes.