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Chinese medical traditions →

Fish and vegetable soup with celosia seed

Light soup with white fish, kelp and qing xiang zi seeds.

Traditional use

Time
Preparation 15 min (plus 30 min soaking), cooking 1 h 15 min
Makes
4 people
Celosia seed (qing xiang zi)

According to tradition, celosia seed cools the liver and helps with high blood pressure and the eye complaints that go with it. Fish and seaweed add minerals.

Ingredients

  • 1.25 litres water
  • 15 g celosia seed (qing xiang zi), rinsed, in a herb bag
  • 1 strip of kelp (kombu) 12 cm long, in strips
  • 250 g white fish fillet, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 stick celery, finely chopped
  • 1 cm young ginger in thin strips, soaked in water for 30 minutes
  • Celery leaves to garnish

Step by step

  1. Bring 1 litre of water to the boil, add the herb bag and simmer covered for an hour. Strain.
  2. Bring the broth with the rest of the water to the boil, add the kombu and boil for 5 minutes uncovered.
  3. Add the fish and salt and cook for 2–3 minutes.
  4. Stir in the celery and garnish with the ginger strips and celery leaves.

Tips

  • Also with pak choi or spinach, or with a seaweed other than kombu.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

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

  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 648

    Celosia seed (qing xiang zi)

    Celosia argentea

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the liver, reduces liver inflammation and helps with high blood pressure and the eye complaints related to it.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Europe · Other · № 382

    Kelp

    Laminaria spp. / Ascophyllum nodosum

    Brown seaweeds are rich in iodine and alginate. They are used in scrubs and as food supplements; too much iodine can disrupt the thyroid.

    Chinese medical traditions

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.