Soups
Water Chestnut, Chayote and Grass Carp Soup
Traditionally used to clear heat, support digestion, and promote wellness
Why people make this soup
Water chestnuts have a special place in Cantonese home cooking. They are sweet, crunchy, cooling — and this soup makes wonderful use of that natural freshness. Chinese food therapy regards water chestnut (ma ti) as an ingredient that clears heat, promotes fluids, opens the appetite, and moistens the lungs. Modern studies have identified a compound in water chestnuts sometimes called puchiin or horseshoe silicon (bi qi su) that shows antihypertensive and antibacterial properties in research settings, though it is important to note that this is still an area of ongoing study. Paired with chayote — one of the most nutritionally balanced of the gourd vegetables — and a quickly pan-fried grass carp tail, this soup is light, sweet, and easy to make on a weeknight. It is the kind of simple, nourishing soup that forms the backbone of Cantonese family wellness cooking.
Who it suits / who should be cautious
- Suitable for the whole family, including children
- Particularly helpful for children with poor appetite, or anyone who is physically run down
- Also suitable for those recovering from surgery who need a gentle, easily digested soup
- Water chestnuts should always be cooked before eating — the raw skin can harbour bacteria and parasite eggs
Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)
- Water chestnut (ma ti): Clears heat and generates fluids; opens the appetite; moistens and clears the lungs; contains natural compounds associated with inhibiting certain bacteria; rich in vitamins A and C
- Chayote (he zhang gua): One of the more nutritionally complete vegetables in the gourd family; supports the spleen and stomach; gentle and easy to digest
- Grass carp tail (huan yu wei): Provides lean protein and adds a rich, sweet flavour to the broth; pan-frying the fish tail first prevents the broth from turning grey and adds depth
- Fresh ginger (sheng jiang): Warms slightly and reduces any fishy taste
Ingredients (4 bowls)
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water chestnuts | 300 g | Wash, peel, and cook |
| Chayote | 1 medium | Peel and cut into chunks |
| Fresh ginger | 3 slices | |
| Grass carp tail | 1 piece | Pan-fry in a little oil until golden |
| Water | 6–7 bowls (~1.5 L) | Reduces to about 4 bowls |
Method
- Wash and peel the water chestnuts. Always cook water chestnuts before eating — do not consume raw.
- Peel the chayote and cut into large chunks.
- Clean and rinse the grass carp tail. Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the fish tail until golden on both sides.
- Combine the fish, water chestnuts, chayote, and ginger in a pot with 6–7 bowls of water.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes until the soup reduces to about 4 bowls.
- Serve the broth and eat the soup ingredients together.
Bro Niu’s tips
Winter water chestnuts are particularly sweet and juicy — this is the best time of year to make this soup. Chayote is one of those underrated vegetables that is genuinely more nutritious than many of its counterparts; it is excellent for children with poor appetite and for anyone recovering from surgery. If family members don’t eat fish, lean pork works equally well as a substitute. Remove the core of the chayote before cooking.
Community questions answered (selected)
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Q (Christine, about her 67-year-old mother newly diagnosed with lung cancer, asking about supportive food therapy): Bro Niu: You can make a soup with agaricus mushroom (ji song rong, 3 qian), goji berries (3 qian), snow fungus (xue er, 3 qian), and north and south apricot kernels (nan bei xing, 1 liang) with lean pork. Cook for 1 hour. Eat some of the ingredients, not just the broth. Two to three times a week, this is associated with immune support and lung benefit. Freshly juiced apple, carrot, and potato has also been traditionally noted for its wellness properties — drink within 5 minutes of juicing, every other day. Please also continue following your doctor’s treatment plan.
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Q (anonymous, about chayote core): Can the core of the chayote be cooked in the soup too? I usually remove it. Bro Niu: I also habitually remove it.
Published December 6, 2019 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 3 min read.
