Vietnamese Mint, Ginger, Scallion and Fish Slice Soup

Why people make this soup

At the very first signs of a cold — when you feel you’ve caught a chill or your head feels off — a warming, sweat-promoting soup taken hot can ease things considerably. Simply simmer grass carp slices with ginger, scallion whites, and fragrant Vietnamese mint. Sip it warm, raise a light sweat, and the early discomfort eases.

Who it suits / who should be cautious

• Anyone at the very first signs of a wind-cold (chills, an off-feeling head)
• Drink plenty of water and rest
• If there is fever, sore throat, or a cough — or if symptoms linger after a couple of servings — please see a doctor, as some viral infections need medical checking

Why these ingredients (the food-therapy logic)

• Vietnamese mint / rice-paddy herb (xiang hua cai): traditionally associated with helping with the dizziness and headache of a chill
• Ginger and scallion white (sheng jiang, cong bai): classic warming, sweat-promoting pair for the start of a wind-cold
• Grass carp slices (huan yu): add savory body; fresh, lively fish is not fishy and needs no pan-frying
• Magnolia flower (xin yi hua): optional, to help dry up a runny nose

Ingredients (2 bowls)

Ingredient	Amount	Notes
Vietnamese mint	~75 g	Rinsed; from veg stalls or SE-Asian grocers
Fresh ginger	6 slices
Scallion whites	4	Cut into segments
Grass carp fillet	1 piece	Thinly sliced
Magnolia flower	6	Optional, for a runny nose

Method

1. Thinly slice the grass carp fillet. Rinse the Vietnamese mint. Rinse the scallion whites and cut into segments.
2. Put everything in a pot with 2 bowls of water and boil for 15 minutes.
3. Drink the soup warm and eat a little of the ingredients, to raise a light sweat.

Bro Niu’s tips

Vietnamese mint is a real help for the dizziness and headache that come with a chill; look for it at Asian grocers or shops selling Southeast Asian foods. The fish slices need no pan-frying — a quick boil is enough, since fresh, lively grass carp is not fishy. If your nose is runny, add 6 magnolia flowers to simmer along.

Community questions answered (selected)

• Q (Yu): My 9-year-old daughter feels a bit warm, around 37.3–37.8°C. What food therapy can lower this low-grade fever? Bro Niu: This is a low fever, possibly an early chill. You can boil a coriander, scallion, ginger and fish-slice broth and have it warm, for 2 servings. If the low fever continues, see a doctor; with sore throat or cough, see a doctor right away for a check.

• Q (Ying Ying’s mum): Can I add magnolia flower to dry up the runny nose? Bro Niu: Yes, add 6 magnolia flowers to simmer together.

• Q (Wei Wei’s mum): Does the fish need to be pan-fried first before making the soup? Bro Niu: No — the fish slices don’t need pan-frying; one quick boil is enough, because fresh, lively grass carp is not fishy.

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Published May 25, 2011 · Adapted and translated for Nourilo from a traditional home-kitchen recipe. Approx. 2 min read.