Soups
Cilantro, Ginger, Pickled Cucumber and Grass Carp Broth
traditionally used at the first sign of a cold or flu to dispel wind-cold, ease sore throat, and support recovery
Why people make this broth
There is a principle in traditional Chinese medicine that makes intuitive sense to most people: the sooner you act when a cold is coming, the faster you recover. The key is catching the illness at the “surface” stage — when you feel a slight chill, a scratchy throat, or that unmistakable sense of something coming on — before it pushes deeper into the body.
This broth is designed precisely for that moment. It takes about 10 minutes to make, costs very little, and uses ingredients you probably have at home: cilantro (with its roots), spring onion (with its roots), ginger, and a fillet of grass carp. The fourth ingredient — tea melon (cha gua), a sweet-brined pickled cucumber — is less commonly known outside of Cantonese households but is useful specifically when a sore, swollen throat is part of the picture. If you cannot find it, Bro Niu suggests using a century egg (pidan) as a substitute, which has a similar cooling, heat-clearing effect.
The approach is to drink the broth hot, rest well, and drink plenty of water. Used at the right moment — the very beginning — this simple food can often shorten or soften a cold noticeably.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for: early-stage cold or flu with chills, mild fever, scratchy throat, body aches, or poor appetite
- Add tea melon (cha gua) specifically when there is throat soreness or swelling — it clears heat and reduces inflammation
- This is a warming, dispersing formula — it is NOT suitable for: high fever with strong heat signs, thick yellow phlegm, or a deep, established infection; if in doubt, see a doctor
- Children: suitable, adjusted for smaller portions; give in small sips
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Cilantro (yuan sui / yan sai): Contains coriandrol and vitamin C; traditionally used as a powerful surface-releasing herb — it helps the body expel wind-cold pathogen through the pores; also has documented antimicrobial properties
- Spring onion (cong): Has a pungent, warm nature; promotes sweating, releases the exterior, and unblocks the collaterals; the roots are particularly effective and should not be discarded
- Fresh ginger (sheng jiang): Warms the middle burner, disperses cold, and aids the surface-release action of the cilantro and spring onion; a core ingredient in any wind-cold formula
- Pickled cucumber / tea melon (cha gua): A sweet, mildly salty preserved cucumber that clears heat, promotes fluid metabolism, and reduces throat swelling; specifically used when sore throat accompanies the cold
- Grass carp fillet (wan yu / cao yu): Warms the stomach and middle, supports qi, and nourishes those who feel weak and have lost their appetite during illness; provides protein without being heavy
Ingredients (2–3 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cilantro (with roots) | 3 stalks | Rinse thoroughly, cut into sections |
| Spring onion (with roots) | 4–5 stalks | Rinse, cut into sections |
| Fresh ginger | 3–4 slices | |
| Tea melon / pickled cucumber | ~75 g | Rinse briefly, slice; available at Chinese grocery stores |
| Grass carp fillet | ~200 g (1 fillet) | Skin removed, sliced thin |
| Water | 3 bowls (~600 mL) |
Method
- Rinse cilantro and spring onion well, including the roots; cut into sections.
- Rinse the tea melon briefly and slice it.
- Remove the skin from the grass carp fillet and slice into thin pieces.
- Bring 3 bowls of water to a rolling boil.
- Add all ingredients to the boiling water.
- Boil vigorously for 10 minutes.
- Serve immediately — drink hot. The heat and the pungent steam are part of the remedy.
Bro Niu’s tips
Act fast — this broth works best when drunk at the very first sign of a cold, not after two or three days of illness. Drink it hot, then rest and keep warm to allow a gentle sweat, which helps release the surface pathogen. Tea melon has a mild sweetness and is found in Chinese grocery stores in the condiment section. If you cannot find it, a century egg (pidan) can be substituted — it has similar heat-clearing, throat-soothing properties. If your family tends to run cold and weak, regular use of this type of surface-releasing broth at the first sign of illness can meaningfully reduce how often colds take hold.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (reader, whose 2-year-old had a cold and recovered from viral pneumonia but still has phlegm-cough and cold limbs): What can I give her to clear the remaining lung heat? Bro Niu: Try simmering fresh houttuynia herb (yu xing cao, 2 liang), red dates (4, pitted), and northern apricot kernels (bei xing, 2 qian) with lean pork. This clears heat, detoxifies, and resolves the residual lung heat. Then, once she is stronger, follow with a soup of tiger-stripe milk mushroom, lily bulb, apricot kernels, ginger, and red dates with quail to rebuild lung strength and energy.
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Q (Cola): If I take Western cold medicine, can I also drink cooling herbal teas like chrysanthemum and honeysuckle flower tea the same day? Bro Niu: Yes — just wait 2 hours between taking your medication and drinking the herbal tea.
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Q (cherrylau): My 3-month-old baby and 2.5-year-old both have colds with runny noses. What can I give them? Bro Niu: Simmer 1 onion (peeled and sliced), 5–6 cloves of garlic, 3 slices of ginger, and a little rock sugar in 4 bowls of water for 20 minutes. The baby can have half a small bowl in sips throughout the day; the 2.5-year-old can have up to a bowl. This is mildly sweet, easy to drink, and has antimicrobial action.
Published January 19, 2019 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.
