Milky Fish Soup with Tofu (鲫鱼豆腐汤)

This Milky Fish Soup with Tofu (鲫鱼豆腐汤) is a common Chinese recipe for new moms who have just given birth. It is meant to replenish and warm the body, as well as promote lactation. We’re no doctors, but this soup is a traditional Chinese postpartum dish! 

Jump to the recipe card to check out a video detailing the recipe! Full length video is on our Youtube channel!

Food For Health

It’s well-known that one’s diet can directly impact one’s health. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) gets even more intricate than just telling you to eat more fruits and vegetables. According to TCM practices, certain foods have a “cooling” effect on the body, while others have a “warming” effect.

After childbirth, the focus of one’s diet should be on warming foods. This signature postpartum soup is high in protein, vitamin A, B1, B2, B12, niacin, calcium, phosphorus and iron. It is also best known for its ability to promote milk production with humble ingredients. 

The protein in the fish and tofu are easy to digest and absorb. This soup is not only great for new moms, I would also make it for anyone physically weakened by and recovering from surgery or illness. 

What Fish To Use

The fish to use for this recipe is crucian carp, 鲫鱼, or a medium-size fish in the carp family. It is important to note that carp has a lot of small, fine bones throughout the fish, so be very careful when eating it—particularly if feeding small children. (Either check the meat thoroughly for bones first, or just avoid it altogether!) 

Carp is widely available in China, but it is available seasonally here in the Northeastern U.S. I have been looking for this fish for a long time so I could do this post. Finally, my mother was able to find it in Flushing, NY. 

It’s also important that the fish be super fresh—freshwater carp tends to be pretty fishy if not. Clean it thoroughly and remove any black film from the inside of the fish (I think this is the stomach lining). It shouldn’t be fishy at all when handled properly. We use ginger and Shaoxing wine (you can also use a dry cooking sherry) to balance out the flavor as well. 

If you can’t find carp, any medium whole fish you might make soup with would work here—snapper, bass, tilapia etc. If you’re averse to whole fish or fish with bones in it, you can try our other recipe for fish fillet tofu soup (try adding the dates and goji berries to it!). 

Recipe Notes:

• There are two keys to creating a “milky” broth: 1) the fish must be properly pan-fried until golden brown on both sides and 2) Pouring boiling water into the hot wok after pan-frying the fish.
• To pan-fry fish while keeping the skin intact, you must preheat your wok until it smokes before adding oil and the fish. We’ve shared this nonstick method in a separate post. It is a very useful tip for any kind of wok cooking!
• Although this is technically a “soup,” there is actually not a ton of water in the recipe—7 cups is ideal. You want the soup to be concentrated in both flavor and nutrients! 

Recipe Instructions

You can ask your fishmonger to scale and gut your fish, but before you prepare the soup, go over it again to remove any remaining scales. Use sharp kitchen shears to cut away any fins, and ensure to remove any black film in the cavity of the carp. Pat the fish dry inside and out with a paper towel, then sprinkle each side with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Marinate for about 30 minutes.  

Preheat a clean, dry wok until it’s lightly smoking. Then add the oil, swirling it around to coat the surface of the wok. Over medium heat, add the ginger and cook for 1 minute, browning the ginger slices around the edges. Remove the ginger and set aside.

Increase the heat to medium-high, and carefully lower the fish into the oil. (Do not move the fish during this pan-frying process.) Tilt the wok so the oil runs the length of the fish to properly crisp it. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the first side is golden brown. Carefully flip the fish, and cook brown on the other side for another 3-5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, bring 7 cups of water to a boil. Cover and keep at a simmer while you finish pan-frying the fish.

After the fish is browned on both sides, add the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok. (It will sizzle!) Then add the boiling water and increase the heat to high. Add the sugar, dates, and the ginger back to the wok. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, covered. 

Uncover the wok, and add the goji berries and tofu. Cover, and simmer for another 10 minutes over medium heat. 

Finally, add the white pepper, sesame oil (if using), scallions, and cilantro. Add additional salt to taste if needed. Serve!