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Inheriting the essence of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and spreading TCM culture
Coix Seed (Yi Yi Ren)
【Scientific Name】Coix Seed (Yi Yi Ren)
【Aliases】Job’s tears, coix, adlay, Chinese pearl barley, and other regional names.
【Preparation】
1. Coix Seed: Take the raw material, remove the husk and impurities, and sift out the ash.
2. Roasted Coix Seed: Take clean coix seeds, place them in a preheated frying container, and heat over low flame until the surface turns slightly yellow and puffs up, then remove and cool.
3. Wheat Bran Roasted Coix Seed: Sprinkle wheat bran in a hot pan, heat until smoking, then add clean coix seeds, stir-fry until the surface is yellow and slightly puffed, remove, sift out the bran, and cool. (Use 15 kg of wheat bran for every 100 kg of coix seeds.)
【Properties and Channels Entered】Cool in nature, sweet and bland in flavor, enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung channels.
【Functions and Indications】Promotes urination and reduces swelling, strengthens the spleen and eliminates dampness, relaxes the muscles and alleviates pain, clears heat and drains pus, etc. It can be used for conditions such as spleen deficiency diarrhea, muscle soreness, joint pain, edema, beriberi, leukorrhea, lung abscess, appendicitis, and various other diseases.
【Common Medicinal Dishes】
1. Red Bean and Coix Seed Tea
Ingredients:Red beans, coix seeds, fox nuts, and poria, each 20 grams.
Preparation: First, stir-fry the coix seeds in a pot for 5-6 minutes until slightly golden; then wash the red beans and coix seeds in a 1:1 ratio and soak them overnight. Place them in a pot, add water according to the usual porridge water level; add red beans, coix seeds, fox nuts, and poria, bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer for one hour; after an hour, turn the heat back up until boiling again, then turn off the heat and strain the liquid to drink.
Effects:Strengthens the spleen and eliminates dampness, suitable for those with spleen qi deficiency and damp stagnation, commonly presenting with symptoms like dizziness, heaviness in limbs, and poor appetite.
2. Coix Seed Stewed Chicken
Ingredients: One chicken, 20g coix seeds, cooking wine, salt, chopped green onions, ginger slices, and pepper to taste, and one orange.
Preparation:Clean the chicken, remove feathers and entrails, and cut the meat into 3 cm cubes; place the chicken pieces in a deep pot, add about 10 cups of water, and add coix seeds; first boil over high heat, then simmer for 2 hours until the chicken is tender and separates from the bone; before serving, add the prepared wine, salt, green onions, ginger, pepper, and orange juice for seasoning. Effects: Nourishes vital energy, beautifies skin, suitable for women with qi deficiency and dull complexion, commonly presenting with symptoms like weakness in limbs, palpitations, shortness of breath, memory decline, and delayed menstruation.
3. Coix Seed, Fox Nut, and Yam Porridge
Ingredients: 50g coix seeds, 30g fox nuts, 150g yam, a little carrot, appropriate amount of green peas, and rock sugar to taste.
Preparation:Crush coix seeds and fox nuts into coarse powder and soak in water beforehand. Cut yam and carrot into small cubes, blanch green peas for later use. In a pot, add water, bring to a boil, then add the soaked coix seed and fox nut powder, after boiling, add carrots and simmer for about 5 minutes. Finally, add green peas and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Sweeten with rock sugar to taste.
Effects:Strengthens the spleen, benefits the stomach, aids digestion, nourishes the kidneys, and benefits essence.
4. Kelp, Coix Seed, and Pork Rib Soup
Ingredients:500g pork ribs, 30g dried kelp, 50g coix seeds, appropriate amount of winter melon, 5 slices of ginger, and salt to taste.
Preparation:Blanch the pork ribs, soak and steam the dried kelp until soft, cut winter melon into large pieces, and wash the coix seeds. In a clay pot, add enough water, add pork ribs, bring to a boil and skim off the foam, add ginger slices and coix seeds, simmer for 1 hour. Add winter melon and kelp, continue to simmer for another half hour, then season to taste.
Effects:Clears heat and eliminates dampness.
5. Winter Melon, Coix Seed, and Duck Soup
Ingredients: 250g duck meat, 150g winter melon, 30g coix seeds, 15g cooking wine, and salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation:Cut duck meat into pieces, blanch, and clean; peel and seed the winter melon, cut into pieces. In a pot, add duck pieces and coix seeds, add appropriate water, bring to a boil, skim off the foam, add cooking wine, and simmer for 1 hour. Add winter melon and salt, continue to cook for 20 minutes, and season with pepper before serving.
Effects:Clears heat, detoxifies, promotes urination, and eliminates dampness.
【Precautions】
1. Not suitable for long-term use in cases of severe spleen and stomach deficiency and cold.
2. Pregnant women and those with dry stools and constipation should avoid use.
3. Not suitable for those with spermatorrhea or frequent urination.
(Some content sourced from the internet; please contact for removal if there are any copyright issues)
Editor | Yang Zhonghai
Proofreader | Yang Juan
Reviewer | Yang Wenzhong