ALIMENTOS SALUDABLES A BASE DE HIERBAS ORIENTALES

DIETA HIERBAS INVIERNO

 

 

 

 

Spicy Eel Tonic Soup

 

Shàn yú Là tāng (鳝鱼辣汤)

Spicy Eel Tonic Soup is a traditional nourishing dish originating from northern China. Its main ingredients include shredded eel (鳝鱼丝) and shredded chicken (鸡丝), combined with seasonings such as wheat flour and pepper. The history of this soup can be traced back to the Song Dynasty. In Su Dongpo’s (苏轼) poem “He Fu” (《河复》), the line “楚人恣食黄河鳣” describes how people in the Xuzhou region enjoyed eating eel, showing that the custom goes far back.

 

Varieties

• Xuzhou Spicy Soup (徐州辣汤)

Made with a broth simmered from chicken and pork bones for many hours, flavored with ginger and black pepper.

• Suixi Fresh Eel Spicy Soup (濉溪鳝鱼辣汤)

Uses sweet, clear well water as the base, simmered with shredded eel and wheat gluten (mianjin), creating a fresh yet spicy flavor profile.

 

Cooking Method

Blanch the eel briefly in hot water, remove the bones, then cut into fine shreds. Knead wheat flour into dough, rinse it to make mianjin (wheat gluten), and simmer it in a rich broth together with the eel.
When the soup thickens, stir in beaten egg, then finish with vinegar and sesame oil to enhance its aroma and flavor.

 

Characteristics & Benefits

The finished soup appears clear and bright. It features the sharp heat of ginger and the tingling spice of pepper, harmoniously balanced.
It warms the body, protects the stomach, and stimulates the appetite.

 

Cooking Tips

• The broth should be simmered for at least 6 hours to achieve depth of flavor.
• Live eel must be used and freshly prepared to achieve the authentic taste.
• Mianjin dissolves slightly in the broth, giving it a soft, snowflake-like texture.

 

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Benefits

Spicy Eel Tonic Soup is used for:

• palpitations
• fatigue and weakness
• dizziness
• joint and muscle pain
• rheumatic arthritis

 

Eel (鳝鱼) in TCM

Eel is sweet and warm in nature.
It is believed to:

• tonify and strengthen the body
• fortify muscles
• dispel wind-cold
• promote blood circulation
• strengthen bones

 

It is beneficial for:

• weakness of internal organs
• fatigue
• shortness of breath
• joint pain
• rheumatic arthritis

 

Food Incompatibilities (食物相克)

Eel (鳝鱼) should not be eaten together with:

• dog meat (狗肉)
• dog blood (狗血)
• pumpkin (南瓜)
• spinach (菠菜)
• red dates (红枣)