You know, it's so delicious and healthy that I can't think of any reason why I should not start a chain restaurant doing so. Prevention is better than cure, you know. And what's better than healthy food? Imagine creating new recipes everyday with all the fresh cool chinese herbs.
Customer asks: "What's the dish of the day?"
Yeng the boss: " We have Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree's Berry Pork Chop."
Customer gets interested with snobbish dish name :"Oh, how's it like?"
Yeng the boss: "It's fried pork chop prepared with chrysanthemum batter, topped with wolfberries gravy with a dash of eucommia bark wine."
Customer's pupils widen:"Oh, is it good for me?"
Yeng announces proudly:"Yes, it's a great dish for your eye, and a good tonic for your liver, plus ehem enhances your ..eh.. manhood, it's also full of vit C."
Customer: "Isn't fried pork chop a bit heaty?"
Yeng the boss:"No at all. We have chrysanthemum and woflberries to calm it down."
Ok, yes yes, I know I have to finish my degree first but heck, I really wish I can cook cool food like this. How about a chinese herbs party eh?
Wolfberry is the fruit of Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree by the way.
Anyway, back to my lunch. It's thrilling for me because I seldom have fresh chinese herbs as meal. It's so much better than the dried and bitter version. Dwaft Lilyturf tuber is juicy and crunchy. Fried with pig kidney, it's a great combination that will do good to your kidney and bladder. It can nourish the lack of Yin and invigorate the kidney meridien. And because the kidney meridien plays an important role in aging consuming small amount of Dwaft Lilyturf tuber from time to time could maintain your youth! :-)
This beautiful perennial is Balloon Flower. The Japanese loves it. Anyone who likes origami would know how to make one. AndI was really surprised when I first found out that the famous chinese herbs 桔梗 is actually the root of this plant!
And guess what. This widely found plant is really precious and I believe I'll be condemned to hell if I don't start sharing with you what it can do.
But hang on, how do I tell you the wonder of of this plant in plain non-ancient TCM language?
That's a lot of effort for me you know. Without pay some MORE! Somehow, we Hakka are just a little impaired when it comes to linguistic ability... err... maybe it's not a Hakka problem. Sometimes I wonder why I work so hard for things that offer no monetary returns. For instance, practising in a hospital in the middle of nowhere that requires me to pay USD 300 a month that offer not even the slightest sight of a handsome doctor... or maintaining a blog that I have not a tad clue if the readers could understand.
Anyhow, to sum it up, the root of balloon flower is widely used in respiratory diseases: pus, cough, fever, soar throat etc. It aids digestion and can lower blood sugar and cholesterol level. That's from WM point of will, of course. In TCM, it's famous for its SHIPPING ability. Ha! Nope, not very good at translation, but, as hocus pocus as this may sound the root of balloon flower is a boat among herbs that can carry the QI of other herbs to the upper half of your body. There are also lines of soldiers, nurses, magic mushroom, moisturisers, door knobs, drainer, etc in the chinese herbs inventory, each with its unique character and function to save your life or rather, to maintain your essence. You just got to explore and get to know them well. It's fun isn' t it? If you like playing strategic computer games, you'll like TCM. No laughing matter.
It really is not bad as food also. Slice into thin slices and you can pan fry with almost anything that's not too strong coloured. Try chicken, egg, white fish, sweet peas, cucumber or cabbage. It's crunchy and moist. Or try some cool recipes here (chinese website).
This guy even made an omelette with the leaves!
But, remember, do not eat pork the same day you eat it. Pork will somehow... neutrulise it.
What are you waiting for? Go start diggin' in your garden now! ha!
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8 comments:
don't forget to bring back a long needle to punch a hole from my tummy to let out the air. It's disturbing me again.
OB
No more tea for you. Only 普洱! Drink Apple Cider mixed with honey! Don't eat too much. Now, why am I nagging like an old lady.
Very interesting. Yeng the master, why not you write a recipe each day using simple ingredients and it will be a good way for us to explore the chinese herbs.
Pu Er tea is more soothing compare to other types of tea right? Why do you suggest having apple cider mixed with honey?
It is really interesting to look at things and illnesses from western and eastern prospective.....
Ah Fan
I really enjoy cooking. Sometimes I think I've come to study TCM to get to know more herbs so that I can eat better. haha.
Anyhow, I'm not a master yet. Though it's really flattering to hear so. Still 1000000 miles away from being one.
Pu Er is the 'universal' tea. Suitable for everyone. Not too Yin or too Yang. It's your SPLEEN's best friend. The only thing is, it's got no taste loh. The longer it's being fermented, e.g. tens of years, the better health property it holds.
Try some after everymeal. Or give me your add. I'll send some to you.
Thanks Yeng, i have some at home. We usually drink Pu Er mixed with honey.
Is black bean belongs to 'yang' group and has heaty property? Is it good for kidney?
What are the herbs that improve 'qi','shen' and memory? I need lots of 'jin shen' to study and keep me awake.
Ah Fan
i like your site too. actually, it would be nice to read and see pictures of tcm related stuff.
i am based in nanjing - studying tcm too - and write my own blog, but it's a little less entertaining as yours.
looking forward to reading more stuff!
markov.
Hi Marcov,
Thanks! Are you in Nanjing for exchange or you are doing a full degree there?
I graduated last month! So... I'm happy. Didn't really have time to update my blog since I came back from China, but I will update more now that I have readers like you. :)
oh, you're done with shandong? how long were you there for and how did you like it. i've always thought highly of shandong and also the dongbei provinces.
i'm here for the long term. have been here for two years, and before that, one year in taiwan, just apprenticing.
i current have a tcm blog www.needleplant.com, which i write on occasionally. it's dry and all that, but that's just the way i write. when i saw your site, i was like, "hey, why can't i be as entertaining!!???!!" i spent almost an hour just clicking on all your article. quite funny and very creative, i must say..
: )
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