Major Snow · Dinner · Yin Deficiency
Fish head, tofu and napa cabbage pot
Pan-seared fish head simmered into a milky broth with sweet napa cabbage and silky tofu — moistening, not drying, soup and dish in one pot.
- 45 min
- Serves 3
- Quick soup
- Easy
NeutralNourishes yin & moistensNourishes stomach fluids
Why it suits you: Yin Deficiency already means a dry mouth and warm palms, and Major Snow is dry as well as cold. Moistening tofu and napa cabbage with fish head warm you without heating you up — a better choice than a lamb hotpot.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 30 min- 1Rinse the fish head, pat dry with kitchen paper, chop into large pieces and rub with a little salt. Cut the tofu into cubes and the napa cabbage into lengths.
- 2Heat the oil in a wok with the ginger and fry the fish head for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden.
- 3Pour in the boiling water and boil hard for 10 minutes until the soup turns milky white, then transfer to a clay pot.
- 4Add the napa cabbage and cook for 8 minutes, then add the tofu and goji berries for 5 minutes. Season with salt and scatter over the spring onion.
Cautions
- Fish head has many small bones; take care when serving children and older people.
Chef's tips
- Pat the fish head dry and make sure the wok is hot before frying, so it won't stick and the soup turns properly milky.
The TCM view
Bighead carp head is sweet and warm and warms the stomach; tofu is sweet and cool, clears heat and moistens dryness; napa cabbage is sweet and neutral and nourishes the stomach and fluids; goji nourishes the liver and kidneys. The fish's warmth with moistening tofu and cabbage gives gentle, non-drying winter nourishment for yin.
