1. Wuzhi Maotao Black Chicken Soup
Wuzhi Maotao (Five-fingered Peach) is a herb from Lingnan, also known as Wuzhua Long (Five-clawed Dragon) or Nanqi (Southern Astragalus), named for its five-finger-like leaves and hairy fruit. It is neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, with functions to strengthen the spleen, eliminate dampness, tonify qi, nourish the lungs, and relax the muscles and joints. When decocted, it has a coconut aroma, making it suitable for medicinal cuisine. Black chicken, also known as Zhusi Chicken, has white feathers and black skin, nourishing yin and blood. It is beneficial for women suffering from blood deficiency dizziness after menstruation, spleen deficiency with leukorrhea, and postpartum back and joint pain.
Ingredients
60-90 grams of Wuzhi Maotao root, one black chicken, a piece of ginger, three red dates, and 10 grams of dried tangerine peel.
Method
Clean the black chicken, remove the internal organs, and briefly blanch it in boiling water to remove impurities. Clean the Wuzhi Maotao and place it in a cloth bag. Peel and slice the ginger. Clean the red dates and tangerine peel, cutting the latter into strips. First, place the Wuzhi Maotao, ginger, red dates, and tangerine peel in a pot, add 2000 ml of water, and bring to a boil. Add the black chicken and a pinch of salt, then simmer for about an hour, removing the cloth bag with the Wuzhi Maotao root. The soup is ready to be served with the chicken.
2. Fig and Daylily Stewed Pig’s Trots
Fig has the effect of strengthening the stomach and promoting lactation. Daylily, neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, has the effect of promoting lactation and preventing breast abscesses. Pig’s trotters are commonly used ingredients for postpartum nutrition and lactation.
Ingredients: 100 grams of dried figs, 50 grams of daylily (dried), 10 grams of tangerine peel, and one pig’s trotter (front leg).
Method: Clean and cut the pig’s trotter into pieces, blanch it in boiling water to remove impurities. Clean the dried figs, daylily, and tangerine peel with water, then place them in a soup pot with 2000 ml of water, bring to a boil, and add the pig’s trotter, simmering for about an hour.
Note: Fresh daylily has slight toxicity! If using fresh, it must be blanched in boiling water and soaked in clean water for more than 2 hours, then rinsed before making the soup.
3. Wuzhi Maotao and Chicken Gizzard Soup
Ingredients: 30 grams of Wuzhi Maotao, 30 grams of chicken gizzard, 10 grams of lentils, and appropriate amount of fine salt.
Method: Soak the Wuzhi Maotao and lentils in water, clean and cut the chicken gizzard into pieces. Place the Wuzhi Maotao, chicken gizzard, and lentils in a stewing pot, add appropriate water, and steam for 2 hours, seasoning with fine salt.
Usage: Drink the soup and eat the chicken gizzard, 2-3 times a week for one week.
Efficacy: Wuzhi Maotao is sweet and neutral, entering the spleen, lung, and liver meridians, with functions to strengthen the spleen, tonify the lungs, promote qi, eliminate dampness, and relax the muscles and joints; chicken gizzard is sweet and neutral, entering the spleen, stomach, liver, and bladder meridians, with functions to relieve stagnation and strengthen the spleen and stomach; white lentils are sweet and slightly warm, entering the spleen and stomach meridians, with functions to strengthen the spleen, transform dampness, harmonize the middle, and relieve summer heat; when used together, they achieve the effect of strengthening the spleen, tonifying the lungs, and relieving stagnation.
Suitable for: Individuals who are thin, have poor spirit, pale complexion, and loose stools.
Applicable age: Children over 1 year old.
Source: Xu Hua. Medicinal Diet Therapy for Child Growth. China Traditional Chinese Medicine Publishing House, 2017.3.
4. Rhodiola, Codonopsis, and Goji Berry Black Chicken Soup
In early summer, it is important to tonify qi and nourish blood, calming the mind and spirit.
Black chicken, known as Silky Black Bone Chicken, is one of China’s famous medicinal birds, neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, with functions to tonify the liver and kidneys, and nourish qi and blood. Rhodiola is neutral in nature and sweet and bitter in flavor, with effects of tonifying qi, invigorating blood, and anti-aging. Codonopsis is warm in nature and sweet in flavor, tonifying the middle, benefiting qi, and nourishing blood and fluids. Goji berries are neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, benefiting the liver and kidneys, nourishing blood, and improving vision. Longan, or dried longan flesh, is warm in nature and sweet in flavor, with effects of strengthening the spleen, nourishing blood, and calming the mind. Red dates are warm in nature and sweet in flavor, with effects of tonifying the middle, benefiting qi, nourishing blood, and calming the spirit.
Ingredients
One black chicken, 10 grams of Rhodiola, 20 grams of Codonopsis, 15 grams of Goji berries, 5 grams of longan flesh, 5 grams of tangerine peel, and 2 red dates.
Method
Remove the skin, feathers, and internal organs from the black chicken, clean and cut into pieces, blanch in boiling water to remove impurities; wash the Rhodiola, Codonopsis, Goji berries, longan flesh, and tangerine peel, and pit the red dates. Place all the ingredients in a soup pot, add 6 bowls of water (about 1200 ml), bring to a boil, add the black chicken, and simmer on low heat for about an hour, adding a pinch of salt before serving.
5. Adenophora, Solomon’s Seal, Dendrobium, and Sand Ginger Pig’s Knuckle Soup
Pregnant women in early pregnancy often experience poor appetite, nausea, and vomiting. If they are usually yin deficient, they are prone to heat, especially in summer when the weather is hot, which can further damage yin fluids, leading to dry mouth, bitter taste, dry lips, and even vomiting of sour or bitter fluids. Today, I will introduce a soup that nourishes yin, clears heat, generates fluids, quenches thirst, and stimulates appetite.
Adenophora is slightly cold in nature, sweet and slightly bitter in flavor, nourishing yin and clearing heat, benefiting the stomach and generating fluids. Solomon’s Seal is neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, nourishing yin and moistening dryness, generating fluids and quenching thirst. Dendrobium is slightly cold in nature and sweet in flavor, nourishing yin and clearing heat, benefiting the stomach and generating fluids. Huai yam is neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, strengthening the spleen and benefiting the stomach, nourishing the kidneys and essence. Sand ginger is warm in nature and spicy in flavor, with effects of promoting qi and stopping vomiting.
Suitable for those with yin deficiency and internal heat. It can be used for early pregnancy reactions and for patients with gestational diabetes.
Ingredients: 30 grams each of Adenophora and Solomon’s Seal, 10 grams of Dendrobium, 30 grams of Huai yam (200 grams if fresh), 5 grams of sand ginger, two honey dates, and half a jin of pig’s knuckle.
Method: Clean and cut the pig’s knuckle into pieces, blanch in boiling water to remove impurities. Wash the Adenophora, Solomon’s Seal, Dendrobium, Huai yam, and sand ginger with clean water, pit the honey dates, and if using fresh yam, peel and clean it, cutting it into pieces. Place all ingredients in a soup pot, add 2000 ml of water, bring to a boil, and add the pig’s knuckle, simmering on low heat for about an hour.
6. Reed Root, Bamboo Sugar, and Water Chestnut Soup
Reed root is sweet and bitter, cold in nature, with diuretic and hemostatic effects. Bamboo sugar is sweet and cold, with effects of clearing heat, relieving summer heat, and opening the chest. Water chestnut, also known as water caltrop, originally from India, is sweet and neutral, with effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, and promoting urination. This soup is suitable for preventing summer colds and urinary and reproductive tract infections. It can also be used as an adjunct treatment for heat illness, heat damage to fluids, sore throat, cough, and damp-heat leukorrhea.
Ingredients
30-50 grams of fresh reed root, 300-500 grams of bamboo sugar, 5-8 water chestnuts, one carrot and one green radish. Optionally, add 300 grams of knuckle meat.
Method
Clean the fresh reed root, cut the bamboo sugar into sections, clean and peel the water chestnuts, and cut the carrot and green radish into pieces. Place all ingredients in a soup pot, add 1000 ml of water (about 5 bowls), bring to a boil, add the knuckle meat, and simmer on low heat for about 40-50 minutes until the volume reduces to 400-500 ml (about two to two and a half bowls), adding a pinch of salt before serving. The soup can be consumed with the meat, water chestnuts, and carrots.
7. Job’s Tears, Lentil, and Winter Melon Soup
In the hot summer, with continuous rain, there are often symptoms of spleen deficiency and damp heat. It is advisable to strengthen the spleen, clear heat, and eliminate dampness. Today, I recommend a home-style soup—Job’s Tears, Lentil, and Winter Melon Soup.
Job’s Tears are slightly cold in nature, sweet in flavor, with effects of promoting urination, reducing swelling, strengthening the spleen, eliminating dampness, relaxing the muscles, and clearing heat and pus. Job’s Tears are also a beauty food, regular consumption can maintain skin luster and delicacy, eliminate acne, freckles, age spots, pregnancy spots, and butterfly spots, and improve conditions like acne, flaking, and rough skin. Lentils are neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, strengthening the spleen and harmonizing the middle, transforming dampness and relieving summer heat, with effects of eliminating dampness and stopping leukorrhea. Winter melon is cold in nature and sweet in flavor, clearing heat and promoting urination, while the skin of winter melon has diuretic and swelling-reducing effects.
Ingredients
30-50 grams of Job’s Tears, 50 grams of roasted lentils, 3 jin of winter melon, and 5 grams of tangerine peel.
Method
Remove the pulp from the winter melon, wash it with the skin, and cut it into large pieces. Clean the Job’s Tears, roasted lentils, and tangerine peel, place them in a soup pot, add 6 bowls of water (about 1200 ml), bring to a boil, and simmer on low heat for about half an hour, adding a pinch of salt before serving.