Skip to content
Herbs & Cultures

Chinese medical traditions →

Fish soup with papaya and tofu

Simple, protein-rich soup for young and old.

Traditional use

Time
Preparation 15 min, cooking 30 min
Makes
4 people
Papaya

Fish and tofu are good sources of protein; ripe papaya gives the broth a gentle sweetness. A soup for all ages.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole fresh fish (about 750 g), cleaned
  • ½ tsp oil
  • 1.5 litres water
  • ½ small ripe papaya (150 g), seeded, in pieces
  • 300 g soft tofu
  • 1 cm fresh ginger, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (optional)
  • 1 tsp salt

Step by step

  1. Pat the fish dry and fry it in the oil over medium-high heat for 1–2 minutes per side until lightly browned.
  2. Bring the water to the boil with the papaya and tofu and boil for 15 minutes.
  3. Add the ginger and fish and boil for another 10 minutes.
  4. Season with wine and salt.

Registry

Herbs in this recipe

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

  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Food · № 452

    Papaya

    Carica papaya

    Traditionally attributed effects: aids digestion, expels worms, stomachic, promotes menstruation; ripe fruit mildly laxative; leaves against amoebic dysentery and fever; seeds against roundworms; promotes milk flow; unripe fruit abortifacient.

    Herbal knowledge of the Caribbean+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 390

    Soy

    Glycine max

    Traditionally attributed effects: base for a gentle cleanser.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 1

    Ginger

    Zingiber officinale

    Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.

    Ayurveda+6Folklore

Cultures and traditions

Where the herbs come from

The herbs in this recipe also appear in these traditions.