Fish slice soup with coriander and century egg over rice noodles
Century egg and ginger simmered into a savoury broth, then silky fish slices and a big handful of coriander added — fragrant, refreshing and light over rice noodles.
- 27 min
- Serves 2
- Simmer
- Easy
Why it suits you: Qi-stagnant types are prone to low moods, a tight chest and belching, and Liqiu's muggy heat makes them irritable and off their food. Coriander's aroma moves qi and wakes up the appetite — the smell alone is reviving; century egg clears heat and eases irritability, and fish is gentle on digestion. A clear noodle soup that's never greasy, it leaves you feeling lighter.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 12 min- 1Gently toss the fish with the soy sauce, cornflour, a little pepper and the oil and leave for 10 minutes. Shell and dice the century eggs. Wash and cut the coriander, keeping the stalks and leaves separate.
- 2Bring the water to the boil with the ginger and coriander stalks, add the century egg and boil for 5 minutes until the broth turns cloudy and fragrant.
- 3Cook the noodles in a separate pan of boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain into bowls.
- 4Bring the soup back to the boil and add the fish slice by slice. As soon as it bubbles, turn off the heat and leave for 1 minute to cook through. Season with salt, scatter over the coriander leaves and ladle over the noodles.
Cautions
- Century eggs are high in sodium and cholesterol, so don't have them too often; watch for small bones in grass carp.
Chef's tips
- Simmer the coriander stalks in the broth for flavour and add the leaves at the end for the best aroma; choose century eggs labelled lead-free.
The TCM view
Coriander is pungent, warm and aromatic, moving qi, whetting the appetite and dispersing constraint. Century egg is pungent, astringent, sweet, salty and cold, clearing heat, easing irritability and draining lung fire; grass carp is sweet and warm, warming the stomach and calming the liver; ginger settles the stomach and removes fishiness. Aromatic yet cooling, it moves qi and relieves irritability without dryness.
