Celery, Tomato, Carrot and Chili Soup

Why people make this soup

After the festive season, most of us find a few extra pounds have crept on. Cooking with vegetables is a light, low-calorie approach that Chinese food therapy has long favored for weight management. The clever twist in this recipe is the addition of fresh ginger and red chili — they take the edge off the cooling nature of raw vegetables, making the soup suitable even for those who usually feel cold easily. The result is a soup that is fragrant, mildly spicy, and genuinely pleasant to eat.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• People looking to manage weight through lighter eating without going hungry
• Those with sluggish digestion, a heavy feeling in the limbs, or high blood pressure or cholesterol who want dietary support
• People with a cold constitution can enjoy this soup because of the ginger and chili
• Anyone with particularly low blood pressure should go easy on celery, which is noted for its blood-pressure-lowering properties; use a smaller amount if needed
• If you find chili too irritating, simply replace it with extra ginger slices

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Celery (xi qin): In traditional Chinese food therapy, celery is prized for its ability to help clear heat and support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Tomato (fan qie): Regarded as both nourishing and cooling, tomato is thought to support the appetite and provide antioxidant benefit.
• Carrot (gan sun): Traditionally used to support spleen and stomach function; adds natural sweetness and body to the soup.
• Red chili (hong la jiao): Warming in nature; counters the cooling effect of the vegetables and is thought to promote circulation and metabolism.
• Fresh ginger (sheng jiang): Warms the stomach and helps dispel cold, making this soup accessible to people with a colder constitution.
• Lean pork (shou rou): Provides substance and mild nourishment without excessive fat.

Ingredients (3–4 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Celery	75 g	Washed, cut into sections
Tomatoes	2 medium	Peeled, cut into chunks
Carrot	1 medium	Peeled, cut into chunks
Red chili	1–2 fresh	Seeds removed, sliced
Fresh ginger	3 slices
Lean pork	about 225 g	Sliced thickly; blanch in boiling water first
Water	6 bowls (approx. 1.4 L)

Method

1. Wash and cut the celery into sections; peel and cut the tomatoes and carrot into chunks; deseed the chili and slice it.
2. Slice the lean pork into thick pieces and blanch briefly in boiling water, then drain.
3. Place all ingredients into a pot with 6 bowls of water.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium simmer for about 1 hour, until the liquid reduces to about 3–4 bowls.
5. Serve the soup together with the vegetables and pork.

Bro Niu’s tips

This soup can support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and is also helpful for poor appetite and a heavy, sluggish feeling in the body. If chili is too spicy for you, just replace it with a little more fresh ginger. You can also add green or red carrot for variety — both work well, though Bro Niu notes that combining green and red carrot may slightly affect the absorption of vitamin C from each, so eating them together in moderation is perfectly fine.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (reader, 陈小姐): Can I replace the chili with something else? Bro Niu: Yes, you can simply use extra fresh ginger instead. Green carrot or red carrot both cook well in this soup — the flavour is just as good.

• Q (sarah): I’m overweight with high blood lipids and a blood pressure of 110/58. Can I have this soup? Bro Niu: Your lower reading of 58 is a touch on the low side, so it’s best not to use too much celery. Everything else is fine. For high blood lipids, try steeping hawthorn berries (shan zha) in hot water as a daily tea — add a few red dates if you like. Drink it after meals if you tend toward excess stomach acid.

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Published February 1, 2012 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.