Chinese Fish Soup Recipes are Easy Ways to Enjoy Fresh Fish

Recipe 1. Cod fish soup with egg tofu

Cod fish is a very firm white-fleshed fish and it is great in broths and congee or rice soup. It is quite expensive in Singapore so most people use it sparingly.

It is expensive because it isn't available locally and need to be imported from afar. The Chinese also prized it for its benefits to brain development. It is fed to babies and growing children. I'm not sure how true this belief is but it is widely held.

This cod fish soup uses fresh cod fillet, bok choy and an interesting egg custard known as egg tofu. It is a light clear soup but with great fish protein. It should be an appetizing dish for those on a weight loss diet.

Egg tofu is like silken tofu. It contains non-GMO soy beans and eggs. It is not as bland as tofu but some people might disagree. :P

If you cannot find this egg tofu, substitute with silken tofu.

Ingredients

• 300g cod fish fillet
• 1 packet of egg tofu
• 1 stalk of bok choy
• 1 litre soup stock
• 2 stalk spring onion
• 2 slices of ginger
• 1 tbsp soup stock
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp mirin

Directions

1. Wash the bok choy and cut into pieces
2. Wash the spring onion and cut into short sections
3. Clean the cod fish fillet and cut into big pieces
4. Bring the stock to a boil, add the egg tofu
5. Add the ginger, fish and seasonings
6. Bring back to a boil and lower heat to a simmer
7. Simmer for 20 minutes before adding the bok choy
8. Cook the bok choy quickly
9. Garnish with spring onion and serve

Recipe 2. Egg drop soup with fresh fish fillet

This recipe for egg drop soup uses fresh eggs and fish. Ideal for pescetarians. Erm, what is a pescetarian? Someone who does not eat animals with the exception of fish.

This soup recipe is so simple and quick. Because there are only a few ingredients, make sure you use a soup stock preferably a vegetarian one. It makes a light starter to any meal.

If you are new to egg drop soup, you might want to find out more about how to cook it.

Ingredients

• 100g fresh white fish fillet
• 2 eggs
• 1 stalk spring onion
• 4 cups soup stock
• 1 tbsp sesame seed oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Wash and slice the fish fillet thinly
2. Wash the spring onion and chop finely
3. Beat the 2 eggs lightly
4. Bring the soup stock to a boil
5. Add the fish slices and let it cook briefly
6. Pour in the beaten egg and give the soup a few quick stirs
7. Add salt and pepper to taste
8. Garnish with chopped spring onion and sesame seed oil before serving

Recipe 3. Fish soup recipe with enoki mushroom and silken tofu

Spinach, enoki mushrooms and lotus root and wolfberry leaves also goes well with fish. This soup is slightly thickened with cornstarch. Use saltwater fish for this Chinese fish recipe such as garoupa, red snapper, or threadfin.

I love enoki mushrooms and can keep a whole bunch of them. Flavour clings to the surface of the mushrooms and makes slurping them up a very enjoyable experience.

Ingredients

• 150g saltwater fish fillet
• 2 dried scallops
• 1 stem Chinese broccoli leaves
• 75g enoki mushrooms
• 200g soft tofu
• 2 slices ginger
• 1 litre chicken stock
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon Chinese rice wine
• 2 tablespoon cornstarch mixture
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 stalk spring onion, chopped

Directions

1. Soak and soften the dried scallops
2. Shred and drain it
3. Marinate the fish with some salt and pepper
4. Slice the kale stems into thin slices
5. Cut the soft tofu into small cubes
6. Heat the cooking oil in a big soup pot or wok
7. Stir fry the ginger and scallops for about a minute
8. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil
9. Add the kale stems, mushrooms, tofu and salt to taste
10. Add the wine and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until all ingredients are cooked
11. Add the cornstarch mixture to thicken the soup
12. Stir in the egg white
13. Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve

Recipe 4. Fish soup with lotus root

This is a fish soup recipe with lotus root, tomato, and fresh fish. Lotus root is usually paired with pork ribs, so this pairing with seafood is quite unique.

Ingredients

• 1 small section lotus root
• 100g fish fillet
• 6 cherry tomatoes
• 1 stalk spring onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 fish stock cubes

Directions

1. Scrub the lotus root, peel and cut into thin sections
2. Wash the cherry tomatoes, score the skin
3. Wash the spring onion and cut into short sections
4. Clean the fish fillet, slice thinly and marinate with salt and cornstarch
5. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil and add the lotus root sections
6. Cook the lotus root for 20 minutes and add the cherry tomatoes
7. Add the fish slices and spring onion
8. Add the fish stock cubes and season to taste with salt
9. Serve

Recipe 5. Bream fish soup with spinach

This fish soup recipe with bream fish is a slightly thickened soup. Bream fish is a generic term for fish that are deep bodied with flat sides and small heads. They can be saltwater or freshwater fish. Common varieties include pomfret and silver bream.

Ingredients

• 200g bream fish fillet
• 1 egg white
• 1 stalk spinach
• 1/2 bamboo shoot
• 3-5 slices carrot
• Salt and cornstarch
• 1 tbsp cornstarch solution
• 1250ml fish stock

Directions

1. Clean the bream fish fillet and cut into small cubes
2. Marinate with salt, 1 tsp of egg white and cornstarch
3. Wash the spinach and blanch with boiling water, drain, cool and chop finely
4. Peel and julienne the carrot
5. Julienne the bamboo shoot
6. Bring fish stock to a boil
7. Add the bream cubes, spinach, bamboo shoot and carrot strips
8. When the bamboo shoot and carrot are cooked, add the cornstarch mixture to thicken the soup
9. When desired consistency is reached, remove from heat
10. Beat the egg white and stream it into the soup. Stir to create egg streaks
11. Serve this bream soup hot

Recipe 6. Fish soup with rhizome gastrodiae

Rihzome gastrodiae or gastrodia elata is known as 天麻 (tian ma) in Mandarin. According to Nutrition Review, it is anti-inflammatory which means it can be used to manage pain due to inflammation. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is recommended for people with liver problems. It helps with headaches caused by inflammation too.

Ingredients

• 1 small sea bass 鲈鱼(lu yu)
• 8 rhizoma gastrodiae 天麻 (tian ma)
• 1 tbsp goji berries
• 6g ginger
• 1 litre water
• 1 tbsp cooking wine
• Salt

Directions

1. Wash the sea bass making sure the scales and internal organs are all removed
2. Cut into 2 or 3 pieces
3. Slice the ginger and wash the goji berries
4. Place the rhizome and water in a pot and bring to a boil
5. Add all the other ingredients and simmer till the fish is cooked
6. Add the seasonings and serve

Recipe 7. Fish soup with milkfish and basil

This is a quick and simple fish soup recipe with milkfish, basil and silken tofu. Milkfish is a common freshwater fish in Taiwan. The meat texture is softer than saltwater fish.

Basil is a great herb with a wonderful fragrance. It is a common ingredient in vietnamese pho noodle soup and Taiwanese cuisine. It is also a key ingredient in this simple fish soup.

If you don't like biting into ginger accidentally, remove from the soup before adding the milkfish and tofu.

Ingredients

• 1 tub of silken tofu
• 3g julienned ginger
• 1 milkfish fillet
• 2 small sprigs of basil
• 600ml water or soup stock
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cooking rice wine
• Dash of pepper

Directions

1. Wash and cut tofu into cubes
2. Wash and cut the fish fillets into several pieces
3. Bring the water or soup stock together with the ginger to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan
4. Lower the heat to a gentle boil
5. Add the milkfish pieces and tofu cubes into the soup
6. Continue the gentle simmer for about 10 minutes
7. Add the salt, cooking rice wine and pepper
8. Wash the basil leaves and break into smaller sprigs
9. Add the basil leaves to the hot soup just before serving

Recipe 8. Fish paste recipe

It all starts with making the fish paste.

Ingredients

• 600g fresh fish meat
• 150ml water
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sesame seed oil
• Ground white pepper

Equipment: Food processor

Directions

1. Mince the fish in a food processor
2. Slowly add the water into the fish paste in the food processor until all the water has been incorporated
3. Add the salt, sesame seed oil and white pepper and mix well
4. The fish paste should be sticky to the touch
5. Remove from the processor and let it cool and rest
6. Once the paste is cool, shape into balls or flat cakes for cooking