Loofah, Baby Corn and Mudfish Soup

Why people make this soup

Walking past a live fish stall, it is hard to miss the mudfish (niu qiu yu) — small, lively fish that are relatively affordable but make a wonderfully sweet and rich broth. When the weather turns hot, this kind of light fish soup paired with loofah and baby corn becomes a household staple in Cantonese families. It is the kind of soup that does not demand much effort but delivers a lot: cooling heat from the inside out, supporting the kidneys and bladder through gentle diuresis, and even helping nursing mothers who find their milk supply is not quite enough. Loofah in particular has a dual reputation — its sap, collected from the vine, was traditionally used both as a skincare tonic (whitening and firming) and as a remedy for phlegmy heat-type asthma. Modern research adds further dimensions, associating it with benefits for cardiovascular and brain health.