{"id":46819,"date":"2026-02-20T16:51:07","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/?p=46819"},"modified":"2026-02-20T16:51:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T21:51:08","slug":"chinese-milky-fish-soup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omnivorescookbook.com\/chinese-milky-fish-soup\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinese Milky Fish Soup (\u5976\u767d\u9c7c\u6c64)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Milky fish soup is a famous soup for postpartum recovery in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and it\u2019s a soup I frequently make when recovering from a cold. Made with just a few ingredients, the soup is comforting and nourishing. My recipe explains all the key points to get a milky white soup without actually using any cream or milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chinese milky fish soup is one of those dishes that feels almost magical the first time you cook it. With just fish, water, ginger, and scallions, you end up with a rich, opaque, creamy-looking broth that is light and hearty. There\u2019s no dairy involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This soup is especially popular in Chinese home cooking as a nourishing meal for postpartum recovery, whenever you want something light yet nourishing in cold weather, or when you want something light yet deeply satisfying. <\/p>\n\n\n\t\t

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Milky fish soup for postpartum recovery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), milky fish soup is considered a warming dish that supports overall vitality and helps new moms to produce milk. Fish is believed to strengthen the spleen and stomach, promote digestion, and replenish qi (energy). The milky broth, rich from emulsified fish collagen and natural fats, is thought to help nourish the yin and generate bodily fluids. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nutritionally, the soup is high in easily digestible protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals from the bones, while tofu adds plant-based protein and calcium. Despite its creamy appearance, the broth contains no dairy and is relatively light, making it both comforting and gentle on the body.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\t\t\r\n\t\t\n\n\n

Right after I gave birth, my Cantonese postpartum nanny made this dish frequently, along with pork ribs and lotus root soup<\/a> and pork and corn soup<\/a>. She would make a big pot of soup every morning, and I\u2019d sip the soup throughout the day instead of drinking water. I reserved the fish and tofu from the soup to eat with a dipping sauce for lunch. When I was breastfeeding, I was under supply at the beginning and had to supplement with formula. But thanks to my nanny, my milk supply caught up within a few weeks. These days, I still frequently make this dish in the winter when I feel under the weather or am recovering from a cold.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ingredients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What type of fish to use<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to my postpartum nanny, white river carp is a must-have for milky fish soup. It is quite small, just about the size of your hand, with a silvery white color. Unfortunately, it\u2019s a regional fish and quite hard to find in the US. After running around to all the fish markets in Chinatown, the most similar fish I could find was sea carp, which has a slightly different look from white carp but is similar in size and taste. And that\u2019s what I chose to use in this recipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you cannot find this specific type of carp, you can use other types of mild white fish, such as branzino, to cook this soup. You can even use fish bones (a large quantity) to make milky fish soup, as long as you get the techniques right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Soup ingredients<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The ingredients for milky fish soup are very simple because the fish is the star of the show.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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