Soups
Chuanxiong and Baizhi Fish Head Soup
Chuanxiong and Baizhi Fish Head Soup, also known as Xiongzhi Fish Head Soup, is a classic medicinal soup originating from the Medicinal Diet Treasury and the Family Dietary Therapy Manual. It features Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong), Baizhi (Angelica dahurica), and bighead carp head as its core ingredients, supplemented with ginger and pepper. The soup has a milky white color and fragrant aroma. As the TCM saying goes, “For headache, one cannot do without Chuanxiong”. Chuanxiong ascends to the head and descends to the blood sea, promoting blood circulation and relieving pain. Baizhi is pungent, warm, and aromatic, releasing the exterior and dispelling cold. The bighead carp head is sweet, warm, and non-toxic, known to “warm the stomach, relieve dizziness, and benefit the brain and marrow”. Together, they achieve the effects of dispelling wind and cold, promoting blood circulation, relieving pain, and unblocking meridians. This soup is especially suitable for wind-cold headaches, vascular headaches, migraines, and premenstrual headaches, as well as colds with stiff neck and nasal congestion.
Main Ingredients
- Bighead carp head 500g
- Chuanxiong 6g
- Baizhi 6g
- Fresh ginger to taste
- Scallion to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Steps
Remove the gills and wash thoroughly. Drain and cut in half.
Pan-fry both sides in a little oil until slightly golden. This step removes fishiness and helps achieve a milky white soup.
Place the fried fish head, Chuanxiong, Baizhi, ginger, scallion, and pepper into a clay pot with water.
Boil over high heat. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Add salt to taste.
TCM Notes
Chuanxiong: Promotes blood circulation, moves qi, and relieves pain. It improves cerebral blood circulation and alleviates headaches caused by blood stasis and qi stagnation. Baizhi: Releases the exterior, dispels cold, relieves pain, and unblocks the nasal passages. Its aromatic properties both enhance the soup‘s flavor and provide medicinal benefits. Bighead carp head: The bighead carp, also known as the spotted silver carp, has a sweet, warm, and non-toxic fish head with fine, delicious meat. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, lecithin, and collagen, it helps nourish the brain and delay aging. Ginger, Pepper, and Scallion: Pungent and warm, they enhance the soup’s diaphoretic and cold-dispelling effects.
Suitable for：Those with wind-cold headaches (headaches worsened by wind and cold, stiff neck) Those with vascular headaches and migraines Those with premenstrual headaches or headaches around menstruation Those with sinusitis-related frontal headaches Those with rheumatic pain and limb contracture pain Those with qi-blood deficiency prone to headaches
Not suitable for：The following groups should avoid this soup: Those with Yin deficiency with Yang hyperactivity or Liver Yang hyperactivity (symptoms: dizziness, red face, dry mouth, bitter taste) – contraindicated Those with heavy menstrual bleeding – Chuanxiong promotes blood circulation and may worsen bleeding Pregnant women – Chuanxiong may stimulate uterine contractions Those with bleeding disorders – use with caution Those with Yin deficiency with fire excess or internal heat stagnation – contraindicated Those allergic to fish – avoid Note: This is a dietary therapy and should not replace medical treatment. Consult a TCM practitioner before consumption based on your individual constitution.
