Loofah Black Fungus Sea Fish Soup

Why people make this soup

Small fresh fish are perfect for slow-simmered soups because they release a rich, savoury stock. Paired with loofah — which activates blood flow and clears the meridians — and black fungus — which nourishes the blood and supports the heart — this becomes a nutritious family soup that anyone can enjoy. It is one of Nourilo’s reliable everyday soups: simple to prepare, gently nourishing, and suitable for the whole family.

Method

1. Gut and clean the fish; pat dry.
2. Peel the loofah and cut into chunky pieces.
3. Soak the dried black fungus in cold water until fully soft (about 20 minutes). Trim off any hard bits and slice into strips.
4. Heat a little oil in a heavy pan or wok. Pan-fry the fish until golden on both sides — this removes the raw fish smell and helps the broth turn milky white.
5. Transfer the fish to a pot. Add the loofah, black fungus, ginger, and 1.8 L of water.
6. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 1 hour.
7. Season with salt to taste. Serve hot.

Nourilo’s Tips

• Pan-frying the fish before adding water is the key step for a flavourful broth — it seals in the flavour and gives the soup a rich, slightly milky colour.
• This soup is suitable for the whole family and is one of Nourilo’s reliable everyday soups.
• Loofah has a notable milk-promoting effect; breastfeeding mothers with blocked ducts may find this soup particularly useful.
• If fresh fish is unavailable, lean pork can be substituted, though the flavour and benefits will be somewhat different.
• Those with gout should use fish in moderation; small fish have moderate purine content but are generally better than organ meats or shellfish.