Pan-fry the fish first until lightly golden, then pour in boiling water and boil hard until the soup turns milky white. Put the fish in a fish bag so no bones break loose. Fish soup should not be boiled for long, 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.
Clean and gut the crucian carp, pat it dry, and pan-fry it with the ginger slices in an oiled wok until both sides are lightly golden.
Put the fried fish into a 魚袋 fish bag, a muslin soup bag, so loose bones do not scatter through the soup.
Peel and seed the papaya and cut it into pieces.
Pour in 2 litres of boiling water and keep it at a hard boil until the soup turns milky white.
Add the papaya, peanuts and red dates, then simmer over medium-low heat for 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.
Season with salt and it is ready.
Who it suits
breastfeeding mothers building milk supply
the postnatal confinement month (坐月)
Who should take care
Avoid green papaya during pregnancy (protease)
People with gout should go easy on milky-white fish soups
Soup stories
Pouring boiling water over the fish straight after frying is the folk trick that turns a fish soup milky white. In Hong Kong this is the classic soup for building milk supply during the confinement month.
moistens the lungssupports the kidneyssoothes cough3.5h slow fireWinter
百子櫃Cordyceps· 3 to 5 pieces百子櫃Teal (small wild-type duck)· 1百子櫃Dried fig· 2百子櫃Aged dried tangerine peel· a quarter piece街市Fresh ginger· 2 slices
“The pot she makes when someone needs looking after.”
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.
問阿媽ASK AH MA
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.