Papaya and Fish Soup is a Cantonese remedy to boost women’s breastmilk production when their newborn arrives. The broth is made from fish bones or a whole fish (your preference), so the soup is packed with protein, collagen, and a sweet umami flavor. Lots of ginger is added to take away fish smell and add warmth to the body after birth.
🔍 Quick Look: Fish and Papaya Soup
- What is it? This papaya and fish soup is traditionally made for new moms during breastfeeding, but honestly it’s a lovely light fish soup for anyone. We gently pan-fry the fish and make a milky broth. Ripe orange papaya is added to aid digestion and add essential vitamin A and C. For more postpartum soups like this, check out Chinese Pork and Ginger Soup.
- Why you’ll love this recipe: Seven ingredients and takes less than 45 minutes to make. After I drank this soup, my breastmilk supply increased, and hoping this remedy works for you too!
- 🕒 Total Cook Time: 45 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Method: Pan-fry the fish until golden on both sides, boil it with water and plenty of sliced ginger for 20 minutes, then add the papaya for the last 5 minutes so it stays intact and overwhelm the soup with the fruit flavor.
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: A sweet fish broth with lots of ginger to take out the fishy smell and a light papaya flavor!
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy — the only technique is pan-frying the fish properly before it goes in the water.
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What is Papaya and Fish Soup?
In Chinese tradition, the first month after giving birth is a rest-and-recovery month called ‘sitting the month.’ Food is used as medicine to heal mothers from depleted energy during childbirth. Papaya fish soup is one of the traditional classics to increase breastmilk production for new moms. The soup is full of protein and collagen from the fish and the ginger adds a lot of warmth to the woman’s body. It’s also just a genuinely good soup — light, naturally sweet, and as comforting as a bowl of Chinese porridge (jook) on a slow morning.
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Key Ingredients
Here’s a look at what you need to make this Fish and Papaya Soup. The highlights are here but the full ingredient list and quantities of each are in the recipe card.
- Ripe papaya: get the orange, sweet kind — not the green papaya. The ripe papaya is filled with lots of vitamins and aids digestion for the mom.
- Fish bones or a whole white fish (sea bass preferred): we want to use a whole fish or bones so we can boil the collagen to make a milky fish stock! The more protein, the more flavor for this soup. You can buy a whole fish from any asian market like 99 ranch or h-mart.
- Ginger: peel the ginger skin and add lots of ginger to the soup (don’t worry if it looks too much) to help take out the fishy smell and it is good for you. Not spicy at all!
- Cilantro: fresh herbs like cilantro or green onions make the soup taste fresh and is highly recommended to balance the fish and papaya sweet flavor.
Substitutions and Variations
- Any White Fish Works – sea bass is my recommendation— I even used Korean fluke bones and head, which also makes a rich broth. I don’t recommend using fillets as they don’t have as much collagen.
- Not a fish person? No-Water Chinese Chicken Soup and my Chinese Pork and Squash Soup are tasty Chinese soups (not specifically for postpartum)
- Don’t like papaya? Omit it! There’s some vegetables that are similar like tomatoes, winter melon, and pumpkin that can be used for fish soup.
How to Make Fish and Papaya Soup
Step 1: Wash fish bones with some salt and rinse well. Drain excess water.
Step 2: In a pot on medium-high heat, add some oil. Then, add your fish and pan fry for 5 minutes on each side.
Step 3: Peel the skin of your ginger and slice.
Step 4: Add water and ginger in water. Boil for 20 minutes with a lid covered.
Step 5: While soup is cooking, cut ¼ papaya. Take out seeds and cut in slices.
Step 6: After 20 minutes of boiling your fish, add your cut papaya. Boil the soup for 5 more minutes.
Step 7: Skim the foam (impurities) and take out of the soup.
Step 8: Enjoy broth while hot! Don’t let your soup get cold, the broth can taste more fishy.
Expert Tips
- Boil your water in a kettle first to make cooking quicker. Pour your boiling water into the pot. Then turn heat to medium high.
- Clean your fish! The leftover blood and slime will cause your broth to taste extra fishy if you don’t clean it under running water and salt.
- Strain your soup with a fine mesh ladle before serving to avoid hidden fish bones.
- Drink it hot – Serve your soup and enjoy as soon as it finishes cooking. When the soup cools, the broth starts to taste fishy.
Recipe FAQs
Papa fish soup is a traditional soup that postpartum moms drink to increase breast milk production and to recover from childbirth. The soup is hydrating and has lots of protein to support the mother’s depleted energy known as qi in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Ripe papaya (the orange kind) is used for this recipe for it’s sweet flavor and high Vitamin A and C. Bonus, the papaya is good for the mother’s digestion during a time where bowel movements are difficult after childbirth.
I prefer to use sea bass or whatever white fish is on sale at the asian market. Just make sure that you cook the soup along with fish bones so you can make a fish stock out of it!
No — tinola is a Filipino ginger-chicken soup made with green papaya and chicken. This is the Cantonese fish version made with sweet ripe papaya in a fish forward broth (no chicken here!).
Fish and Papaya Soup
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil (avocado oil)
- 2-3 pounds fish bones or whole fish (sea bass or white fish recommended)
- 6 inch ginger peeled and sliced
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup chopped papaya peeled and de-seeded
- chopped cilantro for garnish
- salt to taste (½ teaspoon to start)
Instructions
- Wash fish bones with some salt and rinse well. Drain excess water.
- In a pot on medium-high heat, add some oil. Then, add your fish and pan fry for 5 minutes on each side.
- Peel the skin of your ginger and slice.
- Add water and ginger in water. Boil for 20 minutes with a lid covered.
- While soup is cooking, cut ¼ papaya. Take out seeds and cut in slices.
- After 20 minutes of boiling your fish, add your cut papaya. Boil the soup for 5 more minutes.
- Skim the foam (impurities) and take out of the soup.
- Finish with cilantro and salt to taste. Enjoy broth while hot! When the soup gets cold, the broth tastes more fishy.
Notes
- Boil your water in a kettle first to make cooking quicker. Pour your boiling water into the pot. Then turn heat to medium high.
- Clean your fish! The leftover blood and slime will cause your broth to taste extra fishy if you don’t clean it under running water and salt.
- Strain your soup with fine mesh ladle before serving to avoid hidden fish bones.
- Drink it hot – Serve your soup and enjoy as soon as it finishes cooking. When the soup cools, the broth starts to taste fishy.
Sam says
I’ve been looking for simple and nourishing recipes and this was such a lovely find! I’m not usually a fan of papaya but this one turned out good. I like the light, subtly sweet broth and it was so easy to make!