Five-Color Vegetable Soup (Hairy Gourd, Carrot, Shiitake, Fig & Cashew)

Why people make this soup

Most new mothers who breastfeed know that what they eat directly affects both their recovery and their milk. The challenge in the very first days after birth is finding something genuinely nourishing that won’t block the milk ducts or make the body work too hard. Heavy soups full of protein-rich meats, fish maw, or dense tonic herbs — the kind traditionally associated with postpartum “confinement” — are often too rich too soon. They can thicken the milk before the baby has established a good feeding rhythm, sometimes leading to blocked ducts or mastitis. The same principle applies after surgery: the digestive system needs gentle support, not a heavy load.

This five-color vegetable soup takes a different, smarter approach. By combining vegetables of naturally different colors — pale green gourd, orange carrot, brown mushroom, green fig — you cover a wide range of vitamins and fibre. The cashew nuts and dried figs contribute a quiet, nutty richness that supports milk production without overwhelming the body. Clean, light, and completely suitable for both those who have just given birth and those recovering from surgery.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Excellent for new mothers in the first week postpartum, including those who have had caesarean sections
• Good for anyone recovering from surgery — light, easy to digest, and genuinely nourishing
• Suitable for the whole family as an everyday vegetarian soup
• The fibre-rich vegetables and figs make this particularly helpful for those prone to constipation
• If dried figs are unavailable, red dates or Medjool dates are a fine substitute

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Hairy gourd (jie gua / 节瓜): A pale green member of the gourd family; mild, easy to digest, and traditionally regarded as cooling and gently nourishing — perfect as the base of a recovery soup
• Carrot (hong luo bo / 红萝卜): Provides beta-carotene, natural sweetness, and a grounding warmth to balance the cooler vegetables
• Fresh shiitake mushrooms (xian dong gu / 鲜冬菇): Deeply savoury, rich in B vitamins and polysaccharides; used in Cantonese cooking for their flavour depth and gentle immune-supporting properties
• Dried figs (wu hua guo / 无花果): In Cantonese food therapy, dried figs are particularly associated with supporting milk production; they also add fibre and natural sweetness, and help ease the constipation that often accompanies the first days of recovery
• Cashew nuts (yao guo / 腰果): Another traditional ingredient associated with supporting lactation; provide healthy fats, magnesium, and a creamy texture to the broth

Ingredients (4–5 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Hairy gourd (jie gua)	1–2 pieces	Scrape off the skin; cut into chunks
Carrot	1 medium	Peel and cut into chunks
Fresh shiitake mushrooms	5 caps	Remove and discard the stems; keep caps whole
Dried figs (wu hua guo)	4	Cut in half
Cashew nuts	~38 g	Rinse briefly; soak for 10 minutes if desired
Water	8 bowls

Method

1. Scrape the hairy gourd skin and cut into large chunks.
2. Peel and chop the carrot.
3. Remove the stems from the fresh shiitake mushrooms; keep caps whole or halve if large.
4. Halve the dried figs; rinse and drain the cashews.
5. Place all the ingredients into a large pot. Add 8 bowls of cold water.
6. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
7. Serve hot, eating both the soup and all the softened ingredients.

Bro Niu’s tips

This soup is clean, naturally sweet, and just as good for the whole family as it is for new mothers. The combination of figs and cashews provides the quiet, gentle support that lactation needs in those early days without overloading a still-recovering digestive system. If you have had an abdominal surgery (including caesarean section), this is an excellent first-week soup. The fibre in the vegetables and figs also supports comfortable bowel movement — a real benefit in those first days of recovery.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Amy): Can this soup be drunk in the first week after birth? Bro Niu: Yes, this soup is completely suitable for the first week after birth.

• Q (Cheryl): Is this suitable for a new mother after a caesarean birth? And how long should it be cooked? Bro Niu: Yes, it is suitable for mothers who have had a caesarean. Cook for 1 hour. (Apologies — I had left that detail out of the original post!)

• Q (Angela): What can I use instead of dried figs? Bro Niu: Red dates or Medjool dates work well as a substitute.

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Published October 10, 2021 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 4 min read.