Recipes

The meat in this recipe specifically calls for mature Pigeon (1+years old as opposed to squab). According to the Ben Cao Gang Mu《本草纲目》 (Compendium of Materia Medica), “meat can replenish the five internal organs, benefit the Middle, nourish vital energy, strengthen the bones, resist Cold and Heat, and reduce Heat.” In addition to replenishing Qi, it is also known to regulate menstruation. Pigeon meat is sweet, salty and neutral, entering the Liver and Kidney meridians, functioning to nourish the Kidneys and vital Qi, while also dispelling wind, and tonifying Jing / Essence and blood.

We combine Huang Jing with its moderate tonifying properties with Quail, Dang Shen, and Huang Qi to form a delicious soup. This is an excellent recipe for those recovering from a long illness or a period of stress that has impacted the body's Zheng Qi.

We're sharing a delicious and time-honored family recipe. It contains nutrients derived from pork and black chicken, as well as tonifying herbs to promote a woman’s optimal health during pregnancy.

During the last year, many have experienced weariness, loss of loved ones, or lingering effects from long-term illness depleting our Yin (our reserves). As we move into Spring with a renewed sense of optimism, we would like to share one of our favorite family recipes for health and healing. Check out the recipe, techniques, and suggested cookware!

The TCM concept of “form complementing form, organ complementing organ” (yi xing bu xing, yi zang bu zang 以形補形、以臟補臟 ) is well known throughout Asian culture and cooking. For example, eating walnuts for brain tonification and cashews for the health of the kidneys, or drinking red wine to tonify the blood is common folk wisdom. In this recipe, we are honoring this concept by using pig's heart (Zhu xin 豬心) to nourish the heart.

The first known mention of herbal tonic wine is from the Wu Shi Er Bing Fang (Prescriptions for 52 Ailments), which was unearthed at Ma Wang Dui tomb, an archaeological site located in Changsha, China. It is believed to have been written around 200 BC, although the prescriptions are thought to be much older.

The days are getting shorter, colder and wet. Today is a perfect day for having a warm bowl of chicken soup. Mothers and grandmothers all over the world recommend, “Give ‘em some chicken soup!” Chicken soup with Chinese herbs is particularly warming and nourishing. Here’s a traditional recipe and demo of how to create this wonderful dish for your entire family.

Have you ever wanted to make your own therapeutic ointments from Chinese herbs? Skye Sturgeon leads you through easy and straightforward, step by step instructions that teach you how to make Zi Yun Gao, a famous, over 350-year-old Chinese herb formula that’s applicable for a variety of skin conditions.

Congee is a nourishing and comforting porridge, regarded to be particularly beneficial for its recuperative properties, often enhanced with herbs for specific functions that are added to the porridge while cooking. Rice is considered a Qi and Yang tonic. This particular recipe nourishes the skin by tonifying the Blood, preserving Yin fluids and helping to heal skin that has been damaged from UV exposure.

Figs are one of the oldest cultivated crops throughout the world, and often said to be a symbol of peace, abundance and prosperity. Dried figs hold a special place in this delicious fall recipe, with heat clearing and moistening properties. Entering the Lung, Large Intestine and Stomach meridians, figs can promote the secretion of saliva to soothe a sore throat and dry cough, as well as being supportive to the functions of digestion and elimination.

Huang Bai Summer Soup is a simple and nourishing soup that is perfect to clear Summer Heat and strengthen the middle Jiao. Making use of the corn cob after cutting off the kernels, in combination with the sweet crispness of carrots and sharpness of dried ginger make for a balanced and nutrient-rich treat.

Five Flowers Tea, or Wu hua cha 五花茶 is a traditional Chinese folk tea, enjoyed especially during the summer months by Cantonese people in the hot and humid south. Sweet and slightly cold, its’ main TCM functions are to clear heat and toxins, drain dampness, promote urination, cool blood, and alleviate summertime wind-heat.

Zongzi are a traditional food during the Dragon Boat Festival. The story behind these dumplings started over a thousand years ago during the Warring States period, when there were seven kingdoms in China who were constantly battling for dominance.

A phonetic play on He 荷 “lotus” and He 和 “harmony”, this is a delicious, calming, and nourishing dish; a perfect treat for these tumultuous times! Steaming rice in dried lotus leaves infuses the rice with a smoky, roasted tea fragrance.

Rice congee, or porridge, is a traditional staple of Cantonese cuisine eaten in the morning hours, between 7-11 AM, when the Stomach and Spleen Qi are ready for nourishment, gently warming the digestive system and preparing us for the day’s opportunity. It is also a recuperative food that can be supportive to recovery following a long period of illness.