Coriander, century egg and fish slice soup

Ingredientsone pot, serves 4

Method

A fast-boil soup: ingredients go in once the water boils. For a stronger flavour, drive the 芫茜 hard over high heat for 10 to 15 minutes first. The fish slices go in last, and as soon as it returns to the boil, turn the heat off.

1. Bring 6 cups of water to the boil and add the shredded ginger and the 芫茜 (coriander), roots and all, with the roots going in first. For a stronger flavour, drive it over high heat for 10 to 15 minutes first
2. Add the diced 皮蛋 (century egg) and boil for 5 minutes
3. Add the fish slices, then a third of a teaspoon each of salt and pepper
4. As soon as it returns to the boil, turn the heat off

Who it suits

• feeling heaty, and after a late night or an all-nighter
• toothache
• poor appetite (traditionally said to strengthen the spleen and settle the stomach, sharpen the appetite, and promote fluids against dryness)
• adding 茶瓜, pickled white gourd, is said to cool you down further, and to be diuretic, thirst-quenching and calming

Who should take care

• people with a cold constitution (寒底) and pregnant women should keep to a moderate amount
• children and pregnant women should go easy on 皮蛋 (an old concern about lead, though modern processing is lead free)

Soup stories

A restaurant soup you see in congee and noodle shops and small eateries, and it moved into home kitchens wholesale because it takes barely ten minutes. Home cooks on YouTube sell it in their titles as a 'must-have after an all-nighter' and a 'cure for toothache'. The version without fish is 皮蛋豆腐芫茜湯.

From the same family

Winter melon, dried shrimp and glass noodle soupAngled loofah, cloud ear fungus and pork slice soupYellowcress (marsh cress) and snakehead fish soup

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.