Soups
Watercress & Snakehead Fish Soup
Traditionally clears dryness and moistens the lungs
Why people make this soup
Autumn and winter air turns dry, and that’s just when watercress comes into season — traditionally valued for clearing dryness, moistening the lungs, supporting urination and easing itchy skin, it’s a natural soup vegetable for the cooler months. Watercress is also traditionally considered helpful against sore throat and bronchial irritation, especially the lingering cough after a cold. Here Bro Niu pairs it with carrot and snakehead fish for a soup that can effectively ease coughing, helps both dry-heat and lung-weak coughs, and has a phlegm-clearing quality. One practical note: because watercress grows in water it can carry tiny pests, so it pays to clean it thoroughly.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- People with a dry throat, dry cough, or a lingering cough after a cold
- Also traditionally good for children’s bone development and against bone thinning in older people, thanks to watercress’s calcium
- Wash watercress very carefully in salted water and blanch before using
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Watercress (xi yang cai): traditionally clears dryness, moistens the lungs and is high in calcium; associated with easing sore throat and cough.
- Snakehead fish (sheng yu): a nourishing freshwater fish that makes the soup wholesome and clear.
- Carrot (hong luo bo): adds natural sweetness and rounds out the broth.
- Ginger (sheng jiang): warms the soup and balances the cooling watercress.
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Watercress | ~450 g | roots and old leaves removed, blanched |
| Carrot | 1 | peeled, cut into chunks |
| Honey dates (mi zao) | 2 | |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices | |
| Snakehead fish (sheng yu) | 1 | cleaned, pan-fried in a little oil |
Method
- Remove the roots and old leaves of the watercress, wash thoroughly, then dip briefly in boiling water.
- Peel the carrot and cut into chunks.
- Clean the snakehead fish and pan-fry in a little oil until fragrant.
- Add all ingredients to 8 bowls of water and simmer for about 1.5 hours down to 4 bowls. Serve.
Bro Niu’s tips
With snakehead fish added, this soup is nourishing and clear. Watercress is high in calcium, which helps children’s bone development and guards against bone thinning in older people. If you haven’t blanched the watercress beforehand, add it only into vigorously boiling water — otherwise the soup can turn bitter and astringent. Always wash watercress in salted water to clear out any hidden water leeches or tiny slugs, and clean it carefully before use.
Community questions answered (selected)
- Q (Grandma Fung): Bro Niu, I’m 70 this year and just found I have a fatty liver — I’m very worried, what should I do? Bro Niu: Fatty liver is worth tackling early. Go to a herb shop for hawthorn, cassia seed (jue ming zi), chrysanthemum and lotus-leaf tea (he ye cha, if available), 1 tbsp each; boil 4 bowls of water down to 2 and drink over the day, 3 times a week for a month — you should see improvement. Some shops sell stir-fried cassia seed (chao jue ming zi) that doesn’t need boiling: rinse once with hot water, then steep in fresh hot water for 15 minutes; you can re-steep a second cup. Besides helping fatty liver, this also helps guard against the “three highs.”
Published October 15, 2024 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
