Fish and Papaya Soup
A gentle Cantonese soup for new moms — sweet ripe papaya and pan-fried fish simmered with plenty of ginger into a rich, comforting broth.
Servings: 4
Calories: 17kcal
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
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 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 17kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.1mg