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Shellfish soup with chuanxiong

Warming winter soup with clams, ginger and chuanxiong.

Traditional use

Time
Preparation 30 min, cooking 1 h 10 min
Makes
4–6 people
Szechuan lovage (chuan xiong)

Chuanxiong is traditionally used for menstrual complaints, as a restorative after childbirth and to promote circulation. With shellfish, ginger and spring onion it becomes a warming winter soup.

Ingredients

  • 2 litres water
  • 15 g chuanxiong, thinly sliced, rinsed
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 large potato, diced
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 300 g clams, rinsed in salt water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 spring onion, in rings
  • Red chilli to garnish, if desired

Step by step

  1. Boil the chuanxiong in 750 ml of the water uncovered for about 30 minutes until half remains; strain.
  2. Bring the broth with the rest of the water, the carrot, potato and ginger to the boil and cook covered for 20–30 minutes.
  3. Add the clams and cook for 1–2 minutes until they have all opened.
  4. Season with salt, pepper and spring onion.

Tips

  • Discard clams that stay closed after cooking.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

Read more about effects and safety on each herb’s page.

  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 644

    Szechuan lovage (chuan xiong)

    Ligusticum chuanxiong (syn. L. striatum)

    Traditionally attributed effects: promotes circulation, helps with menstrual complaints and as a restorative tonic after childbirth, and is said to lower high blood pressure; warming.

    Chinese medical traditions+2

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.