Cooking with Chinese Herbs

II.

Cooking with

C h i n e s e He rb s

eastern herb, western cuisine

{ 中

藥

入

西

菜 }

II.

Cooking with

C h i n e s e He rb s

eastern herb, western cuisine

{ 中

藥

入

西

菜 }

Printed in United States

Edited by ama jade co.

Cover and page design by Louise Chen Photography and illustration by Louise Chen

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other— without written permission from the publisher.

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Any information given in this book is not intended to be taken as a replacement for medical advice. Any person with a condition requiring medical attention should consult a qualified practitioner or therapist.

ISBN 0-00-713103-1

PR E FAC E : : We have learned the basis of Chinese herbs in Book I, now, it’s time to find out how to bring the herbs into your day-to-day menus. There are several ways to use Chinese herbs, and the most popular, enjoyable way is to make them a part of dinning menu. This book serves as an entry to the multifarious world of herbal cooking. Once inspired, we encourage you to take the experience further and create herbal dishes of your own vision.

Dig in, get some herbs and happy cooking!

7

8

{ There is a wide range

of herbal plants, each with its own properties and affinities.

9

{ Every possible part of a

plant can be used—root, stalks, bark, flowers, seeds, leaves, fruits, stems, and so on.

10

11

HO W TO US E THIS BOO K : : This book is all about using Chinese herbs, including recipes and useful tips about herb shopping and preserving. The recipes are inspired by both Western and Asian cooking, and eventually designed to be Western-based cuisines. Most of them are planned for convenience and simplicity, since we all lead such busy lives. Because herbs have different energy and properties, make sure to choose appropriate herbs for your body type before starting.

12

CONT E NTS : : 07 12 14

22

32

74 75

preface how to use this book ch 1足: : getting herbs wh e re t o sh op h ow t o sh op dr y ing and p rese r v ing ch 2足: : cooking tips equip me nt co o k ing me t h od s I co o k ing me t h od s II t ime and h eat cont ro l p lanning y our me nu s ch 3足: : recipes hot co ld ne ut ral herb resources bibliography

第 一 章

01 getting herbs

smell, color 觀其

味

色，

察其外表，

appearance

quality matters. 選材之道

金 銀 花

。。。

龍 眼

淡 竹 葉

15

There are many sources for Chinese herbs, such as herb shops or online stores. No matter which way you prefer, here are some rules to keep in mind while shopping for herbs. m o s t o f t h e c h i n e s e h e r b s ava i l a b l e i n a m e r i c a are imported from other countries. Besides purchasing herbs from certificated and reliable companies and herb shops, it is helpful to have some basic knowledge about how to recognize good quality herbs. Moreover, you will learn how to preserve the herbs, even grow your own herbs at home.

16

W H E R E TO SHOP You can go visit a Chinese herb shop. It is direct, convenient, and one good thing is that you have someone to talk to. If you are not sure what herbs to buy or how to use the herbs, the herbalists in the shops are there to help you. In multi-culture cities, it is not hard to find Chinese herb shops. San Francisco, for example, has rich Chinese culture and you will find dozens of herb shops in the Chinatown neighborhood. If you are too shy to step in an herb shop, online stores are also good sources. This book has some shopping sources that are recommended by customers; please check page 74 for details.

17

HO W TO SHOP single herb or formula

reference books

Usually herbs are sold individually or in formula. You can purchase the herbs of your choice and the amount of your choice. Herb formulae are pre-mixed herb combinations, which means no special measuring or mixing are required. Each formula has its unique characteristics and is used to treat particular type of disharmony. You can buy either a single herb or an herb formula depending on your personal needs.

Don’t be hesitate to use reference books while shopping.

The knowledge of Chinese herbal medicine is complex and takes a long time to digest. Besides, depending on producing process and origins, an herb may look different on the finished products. For example, different thickness, colors, grain patterns, and so on. In this case, a little reference book will be helpful.

measurement and unit Chinese people use different measurement units from America’s. The common units for herb commerce are jin (500 grams), liang (50 grams), and qian (5 grams).

When buying herbs in Chinese herb shops, check what measurement they are using so you will not buy too much or too little.

18

selecting carefully While shopping for dried herbs, always choose those that are completely dry. Avoid moist, moldy, or wormbitten herbs. If the herbs are pre-chopped, beautiful, clean section shows good quality.

{ In traditional Chinese

herb shops, herbs are measured by the Chinese herb scale. Then they are wrapped in paper.

19

DRYING AND PR E S E RVING drying herbs

preserving herbs

Why not bring in more fun and dry herbs by yourself?

Air drying herbs is the easiest and the least expensive way to dry fresh herbs. Some herbs we suggest to start with are fishwort, mint, ginseng.

Normally, your dried herbs would be wrapped in paper sheets when you purchase them in traditional herb shops. Here are some tips for you to store the herbs when you get home.

1.

2.

3.

1.

4.

5.

6.

20

Remove any dry or diseased leaves Shake gently to remove any insects.

If necessary, rinse with cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Wet herbs will mold and rot.

Remove the lower leaves along the bottom inch or so of the branch.

Bundle 4 - 6 branches together and tie as a bunch.

You can use string or a rubber band. Check periodically that the bundle is not slipping.

Hang the herb bundle upside down in a warm, airy room.

Check in about two weeks to see how things are progressing. Keep checking weekly until your herbs are dry and ready to store. Drying is complete when the leaves feel brittle.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Store your dried herbs in air tight containers, such as canning jars or tin bottles. Zip lock bags will do just as good.

Make sure to label and date your containers.

Your herbs will retain more flavor if you store the leaves whole and crush them when you are ready to use them.

Discard any dried herbs that show the slightest sign of mold.

Place the containers in cool, dry places away from heat and sunlight.

Dried herbs are best used within a year. As your herbs lose their color, they are also losing their flavor and nutrients.

If you are not sure how long it will take to finish the herbs, keep them sealed and put in refrigerator.

Drying herbs

get some fresh herbs

02

remove diseased leaves

03

rinse

fig.

a

01

04

tie as a bunch

05

06

hang upside down

check regularly until drying is complete.

fishwort

07

ready to store

21

第 二 章

02 cooking tips

chop, stir, s a u t é ... 切，拌， 炒...

the art of cooking. 烹調之藝 術。

23

Cooking with Chinese herbs is a common approach in Chinese cooking. However, with a simple twist, you can transfer it to Western dishes with Western cooking. c h i n e s e c o o k i n g a n d w e s t e r n c o o k i n g a r e d i f f e r e n t in techniques and ingredients, but still share similar concepts. This chapter features guidance on utensils, cooking methods, meal planning and more about cooking Chinese herbs to help you get started.

24

{ Use creativity and

imagination, play with ingredients; there are so many ways to cook Chinese herbs.

25

E Q UIPM E NT the kind of container The best container is ceramic. China also works well; glass is okay. Materials to avoid include cast iron or metals. Chinese herbs can interact with these metals causing chemical reactions that can alter the therapeutic qualities of your herbs, or worse yet, have an unhealthy effect on whoever drinks the tea. Stainless steel is better than the other metals. Teflon coatings are not as good as ceramic coatings. In fact, today many people are using slow cookers to save time and effort. They are very convenient tools for cooking herbal tea and soup. You can also find Chinese style electrical pots in Chinese grocery stores.

Choosing the size of container depends on the dish.

For example, you will need a stockpot for chicken soup, a saucepan for risotto, or a frying pan for steak.

a.

c.

26

a. b. c. d. e.

b.

d.

Frying pan Saucepan Stockpot Slow cook Chinese-style pot

e.

COO K ING M E THODS I As is the case with many aspects of traditional Chinese medicine, there are many ways to get results. When it comes to the steeping of raw herbs for medicinal herbal dishes, there are many methods that all serve to draw out the therapeutic qualities from the herbs. Boiling, stewing, simmering, frying, deep frying, tossing are common cooking methods used in cooking herbs.

However, Western people have different cooking styles.

The following represents a few of possible methods for cooking your Chinese herbal dishes. No worries about learning new skills, most of the methods are familiar ones. Believe it or not, with a few simple steps, you can cook the herbs just like Chinese people do.

1:: soaking Soaking is an important step before cooking because most of the Chinese herbs are in dry form; it helps to soften the herbs. Place herbs into water, either warm or cold. The water should cover the herbs by about an inch and a half. Let them sit for 15 minutes. Drain the water away, and the herbs are ready for cooking.

2:: boiling This is the easiest and most common technique to cook herbs. Put water and herbs in a saucepan, bring water to a rolling boil. Then, turn down the fire to a low simmer for at least 20 minutes. This brings out the medicinal quality of the herbs. For some herbs that need more cooking time, such as ginseng chicken soup, simmer for 1 hour.

3:: stewing A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. With this technique, you can pair the herbs with the meat and vegetables you like, cook at a very relatively low temperature to allow flavors to combine. Stewing is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat that become tender and juicy with the slow moist heat method. You can also thicken the stew with flour.

27

COO K ING M E THODS II 4:: steaming

6:: tossing

Steaming works by boiling water continuously, causing it to evaporate into steam; the steam then carries heat to the nearby food, thus cooking the food. The food is separated from the boiling water but has direct contact with the steam, resulting in a moist texture to the dishes. Such cooking is most often done by placing the food into a steamer, which is typically a circular container made of metal or bamboo. The steamer usually has a lid that is placed on the top of the container during cooking to allow the steam to cook the food. When a steamer is unavailable, a wok filled less than half with water is a replacement by placing a metal frame made of stainless steel in the middle of the wok. Steaming is loved by many people because much fewer cooking oil is required, overcooking or burning is easily avoided, and less nutrients are leached into water or oil.

Tossing is commonly used in making salad. Fresh lily bulbs, lotus nodes, sesame seeds, coix seeds, Chinese yams are all great ingredients for tossed recipes. Mix your favorite vegetables and meat with herbs of your choice, finish with fresh dressing, garnish with some greens or reds, what a enjoyable treat!

5:: marinating If you don’t want soup dishes all the time, this method will bring in a lot more varieties to your menus. To marinate is to steep ingredients, which is always meat, in liquid mixture contains seasonings, spices, wine, vinegar, and so on. In case of bring in Chinese herbs, first create herbal mixture by boiling and simmering the herbs in water, cool down, followed by adding seasonings. Put meat in the mixture, let it steep for hours. Then you can cook the meat by the method you want, and still keep the essence and flavor from the herb.

28

7:: sautĂŠing In a sautĂŠ, all the ingredients are heated at once, and cooked quickly. To facilitate this, the ingredients are rapidly moved around in the pan, either by the use of a spatula, or by repeatedly jerking the pan itself. In Chinese, this technique is called stir-frying.

8:: roasting, baking, broiling These are methods that cook food using dry heat, normally in an oven. Usually dry heat is not appropriate for cooking dry herbs because the herbs need water or liquid to soften and to bring out the nutrient. However, these techniques will work once the ingredients that are marinated. For baking desserts, soak the herbs in water or rum before adding into the ingredient mixture.

Cooking methods

soaking

02

boiling

03

simmering

fig.

a

01

04

07

steaming

sautĂŠing

05

08

marinading

06

tossing

roasting/baking/broiling

29

TIM E AND H E AT CONTRO L cooking time There is a great deal of variation in the time necessary to cook herbs. It depends mostly on the kind of herbs you’re cooking. The average is 30 minutes. Generally, herbs that promote perspiration should be cooked for no more than 15 minutes, such as Cassia twig. For some tonic herbs that require more time to leach out their therapeutic ingredients, 50 minutes to 1 hour is appropriate. Examples of these herbs are Ginseng, Radix codonopsis. Aromatics only get steeped for 5 minutes, such as Safflower, Peppermint. These herbs contain volatile oils that come out very quickly, and evaporate out of the decoction if steeped too long.

Hence, they should be cooked only for the last 5 minutes. When there are several herbs in one dish, cooking separately allows one to get the maximum amount of therapeutic effect from the herb without overcooking the other herbs in the formula.

heat control For herbal tea and soup, bring water to a rolling boil using high heat, then turn down the fire to a low simmer. As for sautéing, medium heat is fine. When baking or roasting herbal dishes, medium temperature like 350ºF or 375ºF can avoid overcooking the herbs.

30

P L ANNING YOUR M E NUS Chinese herbs can be incorporated in any place of your menu; no matter soup, appetizer, salad, main course, or dessert. With mixing different ingredients and using different methods of cooking, there are tons of variations you can bring to your meal planning.

cook for 1,2 or more Cooking for one person is simple. Just use the herb that is appropriate to the person’s body type. When cooking for two people or more, start considering the nature of the ingredients you are using. Herbs with strong properties or specific characters need to be used with carefulness because they might be too strong for some people. Generally, neutral herbs, qi-tonic herbs and herbs with gentle properties are better choices for family cooking. Some examples of these herbs are Wolfberries, Ginseng, Red dates, Chinese yam, Lotus seeds and root, Astragalus, etc.

These herbs are gentle, tonic and good for everyone.

31

第 三 章

03 recipes

準備，下廚

planning,

preparing, cooking / / / +creation, 創意

///

享受美

///

好 時刻。

/ the mome nt of e n j o y m e n t .

33

COO K ING W ITH CHIN E S E H E RBS You may have heard that Chinese herbs taste bitter and smell odd. Well, that is not always true. In this section, this book introduces easy-to-make recipes that integrate Chinese herbs into Western cuisines, which means, Western cuisines with Asian twists.

The recipes are separated into three sections: hot/ warm, cold/cool and neutral. Because the different nature of herb has different effects on our body, make sure to read the information provided before cooking.

Now, read on, and enjoy the new experience!

reading guide a. b.

c.

d. e.

Recipe names.

Basic informations of the dish. The nature of the herb is mentioned here. The spoons represent the level of the recipe; the more spoons it has, the harder the recipe is.

Ingredients, measurements, preparations and cooking process. The “note� part is the extra information for you to know, such as tips, hints, or the alternatives for the recipe.

The nutrition value of the dish.

The herbs that are used in the recipe. The page numbers are listed for you to go back to Book I for more information about the herb.

order

1/

illustration of the herb wo l f b e r ry | p. 1 2 4

the detailed herb page in Book I the name of the herb

34

a.

Ginseng Chicken Soup nature:: warm /

b.

c.

level::

prep time:: 20 mins

cook time:: 1 hr 20min

{ ingredients }

{ directions }

2 cup 1 cup 1/4 cup 20 g 10 1 1 tsp 2 tsp 6 cup

1 2

chopped onion chopped carrots wolfberries ginseng whole red dates whole chicken ground pepper salt water

3

4

yield:: 4~6 servings

Soak the dry herbs in water for 5 minutes then drain.

In a large stockpot over medium high heat, saute onion for 5 minutes, or until the onion is loosen.

Add in water, chicken, carrot, ginseng, woldberries, red dates, stir in ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Add salt to taste. Serve hot.

{ notes } Another way to make quick chicken soup is to switch water to chicken broth. In this case, the cooking time can be shortened to 50 minutes.

{ medicinal benefits }

e.

herbs used

d.

ginseng is used as a qi tonic for any symptoms caused by loss of blood or chronic deficiency, such as spontaneous sweating, difficulty breathing, fatigue, weak digestion.

1/

2/

g i n s e n g | p. 7 8

3/

r e d dat e | p. 82

4/

a s t r ag a lu s | p. 6 6

wo l f b e r ry | p. 1 2 4

35

Herbs with hot or warm energies warm the body, nourish the blood, promote digestion and stimulate circulation. h o t / wa r m h e r b s a r e g o o d f o r p e o p l e who have cold and vacuous body types; they are also popular ingredients in the winter season. These heating herbs have pungent and sweet tastes.

Baked Maple Pear nature:: hot prep time:: 10 mins

{ ingredients } pears whole cloves

4 60

Dressing 1/2 cups maple 1 tbsp rum 2 tbsps water

level:: cook time:: 30 mins

yield:: 4 servings

{ directions } 1 2 3 4

5

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel the pears, leave the stems.

Pierce each pear with the blossom end of cloves.

Put the pears in a deep casserole (standing on end).

Combine rum, maple and water, pour over pears. Cover and bake in oven for 30 minutes, basting occasionally.

Uncover. Bake 15 minutes or until pears are tender.

Serve warm with sauce.

{ notes } Oranges, apples are alternative fruit for this dish.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

warm the middle, direct stomach qi downward, to treat hiccough and to fortify the kidney yang.

38

1/

c l ov e | p. 6 8

Date Gogi Tea nature:: hot

level::

prep time:: 10 mins

cook time:: 25 mins

{ ingredients } 10 15 g 1/2 cups 6 cups

yield:: 4 servings

{ directions }

whole red dates astragalus wolfberry water

1 2 3

Soak the dry herbs in water for 5 minutes then drain.

In a saucepan, add in water and herbs, bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Serve hot.

{ notes } This tea has its natural sweetness because all of these herbs have sweet taste.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

the combination of these herbs is common. it is good for our overall health, especially for the eyes.

40

1/

2/

r e d dat e | p. 82

wo l f b e r ry | p. 1 2 4

3/

a s t r ag a lu s | p. 6 6

41

Dong Quai Lamb Stew nature:: hot prep time:: 30 mins

level:: cook time:: 50 mins

{ ingredients } 10 2 2 1 1 4 2 5 1 2

g cups cups cup cup cups tbsps tbsps tsp tsps

dong quai potato chunks carrots chunks chopped onion frozen green peas water flour soy sauce pepper salt

yield:: 6 servings

{ directions } 1

2

3

Heat olive oil in oven; brown lamb cubes well; pour off fat. To the lamb, add the 4 cups water, salt, pepper, soy sauce and dong quai.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50 minutes, until meat is tender.

Stir in carrots, onion, and potato; cook 20 minutes longer. Stir in the thawed peas.

Blend 2 tablespoons flour with the 3 tablespoons water; Stir into stew. Cook until mixture begins to boil and thicken. Serve hot.

{ notes } The meat in this recipe can be changed to pork, chicken or beef. Be careful not to simmer over 1 hour because dong quai would turn bitter if it is cooked for too long.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

dong quai is blood tonic herb commonly used in women’s health issue such as irregular period, anemia, postpartum weakness, etc.

1/

d o n g q ua i | p. 7 2

43

Ginger Milk Tea nature:: hot prep time:: 5 mins

{ ingredients } 2 2 4 1 3

tea bags cups water tbsps milk tsp ground ginger tsps honey

level:: cook time:: 20 mins

yield:: 2 servings

{ directions } 1 2 3 4

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add honey and ginger.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep for 5-7 minutes.

Discard tea bags. Stir in milk.

{ notes } The variations for this recipe are ginger ice tea or simply ginter tea. You can also add lemon juice for flavor. Milk can be optional.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

warm the middle, direct stomach qi downward, to treat hiccough and to fortify the kidney yang.

44

1/

g i n g e r | p. 7 6

Ginseng Chicken Soup nature:: warm

level::

prep time:: 20 mins

cook time:: 1 hr 20mins

{ ingredients }

{ directions }

2 cups 1 cup 1/4 cups 20 g 10 1 1 tsp 2 tsps 6 cups

1 2

onion chunks carrot chunks wolfberries ginseng whole red dates whole chicken ground pepper salt water

3

4

yield:: 4~6 servings

Soak the dry herbs in water for 5 minutes then drain.

In a large stockpot over medium high heat, saute onion for 5 minutes, or until the onion is loosen.

Add in water, chicken, carrot, ginseng, wolfberries, red dates, stir in ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Add salt to taste. Serve hot.

{ notes } Another way to make quick chicken soup is to switch water to chicken broth. In this case, the cooking time can be shortened to 50 minutes.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

ginseng is used as a qi tonic for any symptoms caused by loss of blood or chronic deficiency, such as spontaneous sweating, difficulty breathing, fatigue, weak digestion.

1/

2/

g i n s e n g | p. 7 8

3/

r e d dat e | p. 82

4/

a s t r ag a lu s | p. 6 6

wo l f b e r ry | p. 1 2 4

45

ginseng::

for more than 2,000 years, the roots of this slow-growing plant have been highly valued in chinese medicine.

46

47

48

Seafood Paella nature:: warm prep time:: 30 mins

level:: cook time:: 50 mins

{ ingredients } 4 1 3 1 4 1 20 16 1 1 1 2

garlic cloves, minced cup mushrooms, sliced cups Italian Orzo cup celery, diced cups seafood broth cup frozen green peas shrimps littleneck clams tsp safflower tsp pepper tsp salt tsps cilantro, minced

yield:: 4 servings

{ directions } 1 2

3

5

6

Steep safflowers in warm water for 5 minutes, drained.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large paella pan over mediumhigh heat. Add shrimp, saute 1 minute (the seafood mixture will not be cooked through).

Remove seafood from pan, and keep warm. Add onion to pan, cook 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, celery, and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Add rice, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, safflower, and peas.

Bring to a boil, turn down the fire to a slow simmer, cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add clams to pan, nestling them into rice mixture.

Cook 5 minutes or until shells open. Finally, stir in the shrimps and cook for 5 more minutes to blend all flavors together.

Remove from heat; garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.

{ notes } Someone says that steep safflowers in warm water before cooking helps to bring out flavors from the herb. This step is optional.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

safflowers helps blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, and releases pain.

1/

s a f f l ow e r | p. 8 4

49

Herbs with cold or cool energies release heat in the body, purge inflammation, purify the blood and detoxify. c o l d / c o o l h e r b s a r e g o o d f o r p e o p l e who have hot and replete body types; they are loved in hot weather such as summer time. These cooling herbs have sour, bitter and salty tastes.

Chrysanthemum Wolfberry Tea nature:: cool prep time:: 5 mins

level:: cook time:: 15 min

{ ingredients } 12 5 15 15 3

yield:: 3~4 servings

{ directions }

chrysanthemums cups water g wolfberry g astragalus tbsps honey

1 2 3 4

Rinse the herbs with water.

In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add herbs.

Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10~15 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Stir in honey before serving.

Serve warm.

{ notes } In summer time, this tea is a great cool-down drink. You can also add red dates in this recipe.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

chrysanthemum is excellent for fevers with headache and for counteracting the effects of hot climate.

52

1/

c h ry s a n t h e m u m | p. 9 0

2/

wo l f b e r ry | p 1 2 4

3/

a s t r ag a lu s | p. 6 6

Chrysanthemum Mahi Mahi nature:: cool prep time:: 10 mins

level:: cook time:: 12 min

{ ingredients } 5 1 2 4 2 2 2 1 2

g cup cups ozs tbsps tbsps tsps tsp tsps

chrysanthemum white wine carrots chunks mahi mahi fillets honey balsamic vinegar olive oil pepper salt

yield:: 2 servings

{ directions } 1

2 3

4

In a shallow glass dish, stir together the chrysanthemum flowers, honey, wine, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil.

Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish, skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade.

Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.

Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently.

Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

{ notes } There is no need to steep Chrysanthemum flowers in water before cooking. Just put them into the marinade mixture.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

chrysanthemum clears heat, soothes the liver and improves vision. fish is also believed to be very good for eyes.

1/

c h ry s a n t h e m u m | p. 9 0

53

Coix Risotto nature:: cool prep time:: 20 mins

level:: cook time:: 45 mins

{ ingredients }

{ directions }

1 21 cups 1 cup 1 cup 1/2 cups 2 1 1/4 cups 1 tsp 1 tsp 2 cups 1/3 cups

1 2

Arborio rice coix seeds sliced mushrooms onion shallots, diced red pepper, diced chives, chopped ground pepper salt chicken broth Parmesan cheese

3

4

5

yield:: 2 servings

In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice and coix seeds, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice and coix seeds have taken on a pale, golden color, add 1/2 cup broth and stir until the broth is absorbed.

Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the coix seeds are al dente, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

{ notes } Italian orzo can be alternative to Arborio rice. Risotto is a fun dish you can play with ingredients by mixing them together. Mung beans, lotus seeds, oats are great choices.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

coix seeds releases heat, clears heart, tonifies the spleen, also used to treat inflammation.

54

1/

c o i x s e e d s | p. 9 2

55

coix seeds::

coix seeds are rich in protein, amino acid, fatty acid, vitamin b1,b2, k and so on, which makes it one of women’s favorite beauty treatments.

56

Green Bean Salad with Lily Bulbs nature:: cool prep time:: 10 mins

level:: cook time:: 10 mins

{ ingredients } 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 1

yield:: 4 servings

{ directions }

lb

green beans lily bulbs cup grape tomatos tbsps olive oil tbsps lemon juice tbsp sesame seeds tsp pepper tsp salt

1

2

3

Break up the lily bulbs into numerous small ‘ears’. Clean these with water and, using a small knife, cut away the outer edge to clean away most of the brown colouration.

Wash well and then boil in a pot of salted water for 1 minute; remove, drain and immerse in ice water.

Bring another pot of salted water to boil. Add beans and cook until just tender, 3-5 minutes. Drain beans and immediately immerse in ice water.

Before serving, put lily bulbs, green beans, tomatoes in a large salad bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to coat. Finally, sprinkle sesame seeds to finish.

{ notes } The vegetables can be substituted to the ones you love. Lily bulbs turn soft quickly, so don’t boil them for too long. If you like crisp texture better, 30 seconds is good.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

lily bulbs nourish and moisten the lungs. this recipe is good for people who have dry cough and dry throat.

1/

2/

l i ly bu l b s | p. 1 0 0

sesame seeds | p106

59

Honeysuckle Blackbean Soup nature:: cold prep time:: 20 mins

level:: cook time:: 50 mins

{ ingredients } 4 8 1 4 2 1 1 1 1 2 1

g can cups cups cup cup cup cup tsps tsp

garlic cloves, minced honeysuckle black beans, drained chicken broth water chopped onions tomatoes, chopped bacon, chopped celery, chopped pepper salt

yield:: 4 servings

{ directions } 1 2

3

4

Drain the beans. Soak the honeysuckle in water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large stockpot, saute onions, garlic in oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add bacon, saute for 3-4 minutes more. Finally, Add tomatoes and celery, salt and pepper, saute for another 5 minutes.

Simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Combine the drained black beans and honeysuckle with the vegetables. Add in water and chicken broth, simmer on low for about 30-45 minutes. Stir often.

Stick blend the soup until it’s as thick as you like.

Remove from heat, serve hot.

{ notes } If you like thick soup, remove a cup or two of soup to blender, blend, then add back to soup.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

honeysuckle flowers is used to ease sore joints, reduce inflammation, improve circulation, relieve depression and treat asthma.

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h o n ey s u c k l e f l ow e r s | p. 9 4

Houttuynia Scramble Egg nature:: cold prep time:: 5 mins

level:: cook time:: 10 mins

{ ingredients } 6 1/2 1 2 1 1

large eggs lbs fresh houttuynia cup bacon, chopped tbsps olive oil tbsp pepper tbsp salt

yield:: 2 servings

{ directions } 1

2 3 4 5

Rinse houttuyuia leaves with water, Chop finely.

Briefly scramble all the egges with chopped houttuynia in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper.

Heat oilve oil in skillet, add bacon, cook until the bacon start turnning brown and crispy.

Pour in egg mixture. Turn the heat to medium-low. Let the mixture begin to set before scrambling.

When the eggs look wet but are no longer liquid, gently mound the eggs into the center of the pan.

Turn off the heat but leave the skillet on the burner.

The scrambled eggs will continue to cook from the heat of the pan and from the residual heat in the eggs.

{ notes } You can also put the herbs, salt and pepper after pouring the egg mixture into the pan instead of mix all of them together in the begining.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

houttuynia releases heat and is used to treat inflammation.

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h o u t t u y n i a | p. 9 6

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Herbs that are not hot nor cold are classified as neutral herbs. These herbs are appropriate for all body types. n e u t r a l h e r b s a r e u s e d i n c o o k i n g v e ry o f t e n because of their mild nature. They can be cooked with hot or cold herbs and will not effect the energy of the dish. Neutral herbs are generally qi tonic herbs.

Chinese Yam Wrap nature:: neutral

level::

prep time:: 5 mins

cook time:: 5 mins

{ ingredients } 4 4 1 1 1/2 lbs 1/2 lbs 5 tbsps

flour tortillas ham slices avocado apple fresh Chinese yam carrots mayonnaise

yield:: 4 servings

{ directions } 1 2 3

Shred avocado, apple, Chinese yam and carrots.

In the middle of each tortilla, place ham, avocado, apple shreds, Chinese yam shreds and carrot shreds.

Top with mayonnaise and roll up. Serve immediately.

{ notes } Chinese yam contains a large amount of mucilage. When shreding the yam, place the shreds in water to clean off the sticky fluid.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

chinese yam serves to tonify spleen and lung qi. the mucilage it contains is believed to be effective at releiving cough.

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c h i n e s e ya m | p. 1 1 0

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Lotus Root Fries nature:: neutral prep time:: 10 mins

level:: cook time:: 10 mins

{ ingredients } 2 1 3

lbs fresh lotus root cup all purpose flour cups vegetable oil

yield:: 3 servings

{ directions } 1 2 3

Scrub lotus root to clean.

Peel the root, cut them into 0.2� slices. Coat with flour.

In a large pot or deep fryer, heat the oil to 375 degrees.

Blanch lotus root slices by briefly plunging into oil and frying until brown and crispy. Serve hot with salt and pepper, or ketchup.

{ notes } The frying can be changed to boiling. Boiled lotus node is just as delicious as fried ones.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

lotus root is mainly used to stop bleeding (particularly coughing accompanied by blood and vomiting accompanied by blood) and to help the blood coagulate more quickly. it also helps treat conditions such as diarrhea.

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l o t u s ro o t | p. 1 1 8

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Three Mushroom Soup nature:: neutral

level::

prep time:: 30 mins

cook time:: 1 hr

{ ingredients } 75 10 1 1 4 1 1 1 1/2 1 1

g g cup cup cups cup cup tbsp tsps tsp tsp

butter reishi mushrooms shiitake mushrooms button mushrooms chicken broth chopped onion chopped carrots chopped parsley frozen green peas ground pepper salt

yield:: 4~6 servings

{ directions } 1 2

3 4

Slice all the mushrooms, besides reishi mushrooms.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion is translucent, then add mushrooms (besides reishi mushroom), and carrots.

Let cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, add reishi mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for about 50 minutes.

After 50 minutes, add the peas. Season with salt and pepper, let cook for another 10 minutes.

Finish the soup with chopped parsley. Serve hot.

{ notes } Reishi will not be soften after cooking. Just discard them before serving.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

this high-valued herb tonics qi, promotes immune system. it is used to treat some types of cancer today.

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r e i s h i m u s h ro o m | p. 1 2 2

reishi mushrooms::

reishi mushroom, aka the “herb of good fortune,� was once reserved strictly for asian royalty. today, it is used to promote overall health and longevity.

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Sesame Seed Bread nature:: neutral prep time:: 30 mins

level:: cook time:: 50 min

{ ingredients }

{ directions }

3 cups 1/4 cups 1 21 cups 3 tbsps 2 tbsps 2 tsps 1 tsp

1

bread flour honey water sesame seeds sugar active dry yeast salt

2

3

4

yield:: 6 servings

In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in the warm water.

Add honey, sugar and salt and mix well. Stir in the flour and sesame seeds.

On a well-floured surface, knead the dough for 7 minutes, until it is smooth. Place the dough in a greased bowl. Let rise until doubled.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. When dough cycle is complete, remove dough to a lightly oiled baking pan.

Slightly roll it and make a ball. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Cover and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Remove the cover and bake until the surface is golden.

Remove the bread to a wire rack to cool.

{ notes } A Bread mixer will make the kneading process much faster.

You can add your favorite grains or nuts to this recipe.

{ medicinal benefits }

herbs used

being rich in arginine, sesame seeds deters the development of tumors, help detoxify the liver and kidneys and improving the immune system. they also help increase fertility.

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sesame seeds | p106

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H E RBA L R E SOURC E S There are many places to shop for Chinese herbs in cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Websites are also provided for places that have less access to herb shops.

San Francisco American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine 455 Arkansas Street San Francisco, CA 94107 (415) 282-9603 Chinese Herbs Co. 918 Clement Street San Francisco, CA 94118 (415) 387-1892 Chinese Medicine Works 1201 Noe St San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 285-0931 Great China Herb Co. 857 Washionton Street San Francisco, CA 94108 (415)982-2195 Kwok Hong Chinese Herbs 3309 Balboa Street San Francisco, CA 94121 (415) 876-6088 San Francisco Community Acupuncture 220 Valencia St San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 675-8973 The Scarlet Sage Herb Company 1173 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 821-0997

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Los Angeles Acupuncture & Herbs Center 907 W Valley Blvd Alhambra, CA 91803 (626) 281-6868 Shin Acupuncture & Herbs Inc 435 Arden Ave Ste 460 Glendale, CA 91203 (818) 240-6163 Wing Hop Fung Ginseng Inc 727 N Broadway Ste 102 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (213) 626-7200 New York Chinese Herbal Health Center 180 Broadway, New York, NY 10038-2556 (212) 732-6719 Chinese Herbal Shop 53 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002-6984 (212) 393-1080 Lin Sister Herb Shop 4 Bowery New York, NY 10013 (212) 962-5417 Wan-Mei Woo Acupuncture & Herbal Center 4151 77th St Elmhurst, NY 11373 (718) 458-6391

BIB L IOGRAPHY Websites Ama Jade www.amajade.com/

Hadadi, Letha. Asian Health Secrets: The Complete Guide to Asian Herbal Medicine. New York: Crown Publishers, 1996.

American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine www.actum.edu/

Huang, GhoShan. The Complete Collection of Chinese Recipes For Health Preserving. Taipei: Sanyi Culture Publishing, 2006.

Chinese Herbs Direct http://www.chineseherbsdirect.com/

McCullough, Fran and Stevens, Molly. The 150 Best American Recipes. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2006.

Joseph Alban, L.Ac. http://albanacupuncture.com/blog/

Simonds, Nina. Spices of Life: Simple and Delicious Recipes For Great Health. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2005.

Chinese Herb Shop http://www.chineseherbshop.net/

Smith, Art. Back To Family. : food tastes better shared with ones you love. Nashville, Tenn. : Thomas Nelson, 2007.

Fu Tian Herns http://www.futianherbs.com/

Sun Color Culture Publishing Co. Zhong Yao Cai Su Cha Ching Tu Dian. Taipei: Sun Color Culture Publishing Co., 2008.

Szeto, Hung. Chinese Food Therapy. Seattle, WA : APC Group ; [s.l.] : Chinese Alimentotherapy Research Center, 2004.

Williams, Tom. The complete illustrated guide to Chinese medicine: a comprehensive system for health and fitness.

London: Thorsons, 2003.

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