老火湯LO FO TONG

All soups › Heat-clearing

Coriander, century egg and fish slice soup

芫茜皮蛋魚片湯
clears heatcools internal firestrengthens the spleenwhets the appetiterelieves drynessAll year quick-boiled · 18 minutes Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Ingredients

街市Coriander / cilantro· use it with the roots on, roots in first75 g
街市Century egg· diced1 to 2
街市Fish slices (grass carp fillet)· 鯇魚 (grass carp) slices, cut thin and added last. Overcook them and they go tough225 g
街市Fresh ginger· shredded3 to 4 slices

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 soupNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
冬瓜蝦米粉絲湯（滾冬瓜湯）
clears heatdispels dampnesspromotes water metabolismSummer
街市Winter melon· about 600 g (1 catty)百子櫃Dried small shrimp· 1 to 2 tablespoons百子櫃Mung bean vermicelli· 1 bunch百子櫃Dried shiitake mushroom· 2 to 3街市Fresh ginger· 2 slices

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Angled loofah, cloud ear fungus and pork slice soupA$7–15
勝瓜雲耳肉片湯（絲瓜滾湯）
clears heatcools internal fireeases the bowelsSummer
街市Angled loofah· 1 to 2百子櫃Cloud ear fungus· 1 small handful街市Lean pork· about 150 to 200 g街市Fresh ginger· 2 to 3 slices

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

Yellowcress (marsh cress) and snakehead fish soupNot yet surveyed (we say so honestly)
塘葛菜生魚湯
clears heatdispels dampnessmoistens the lungsSpringSummerAll year
百子櫃Yellowcress / marsh cress· 300 g百子櫃Snakehead fish· 1, about 600 g (1 catty)街市Lean pork· 300 g百子櫃Candied honey date· 2百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· 1 piece街市Fresh ginger· 3 slices

“Heaty? Then this is the pot.”

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.