Pu Gong Ying (Dandelion), also known as “Huang Hua Di Ding” or “Po Po Ding,” is the whole herb of the dandelion plant from the Asteraceae family. It is harvested before or just as it begins to flower in spring and summer, cleaned of impurities. The best specimens have abundant leaves, a green color, intact roots, and no impurities. Dandelion is often referred to as the “Queen of Herbs” and a “Natural Antibiotic.” Every year in March and April, as the weather warms and everything revives, the season for eating fresh wild vegetables arrives. Consuming a moderate amount of wild vegetables at this time can have excellent health benefits.
Properties and Functions
Dandelion is cold in nature, with a bitter and sweet taste, and it enters the liver and stomach meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing swelling and dispersing nodules, and promoting urination. It is used for conditions such as carbuncles and boils, mastitis, scrofula, red eyes, sore throat, lung abscess, intestinal abscess, damp-heat jaundice, and painful urination. Fresh dandelion can be crushed and applied topically or decocted for washing the affected areas.
The “Compendium of Materia Medica” states: “The tender shoots can be eaten, and raw consumption is especially good for treating infectious diseases.” The “New Compilation of Materia Medica” records: “Dandelion is inexpensive yet highly effective; it can also clear stomach fire, and its properties are very mild, able to clear fire without harming the earth.” The “Record of Medicinal Plants in Lingnan” notes: “Dandelion, when roasted until crisp, can be taken with wine to treat stomach pain.” The “Complete Collection of Surgical Evidence” mentions: “Dandelion, when roasted until black, can be ground into powder and taken with hot wine to treat stomach pain.” The “Justification of Materia Medica” states: “Dandelion is cool in nature and treats all types of carbuncles, abscesses, and heat toxins; it can be taken or applied, and it is particularly effective for treating mastitis and red, swollen lumps. Fresh dandelion juice can be taken warm, and dried dandelion can be decocted; it is essential in any decoction for these conditions.”
Dandelion Recipes
Dandelion can be used both as a medicine and food; dried dandelion is often used in herbal medicine, while fresh dandelion can be consumed. On the dining table, dandelion can be eaten raw in salads, stir-fried, added to soups, used as a filling, or cooked into porridge. Examples include cold dandelion salad, garlic dandelion, dandelion chicken soup, beef dandelion soup, and dandelion pork dumplings. The tender leaves of dandelion are delicious when stir-fried, with a slightly bitter yet sweet aftertaste, making them very tasty in salads.
Cold Dandelion Salad
1. 200g dandelion, appropriate amounts of salt, MSG, sesame oil, and minced garlic. 2. Clean the dandelion leaves, blanch in boiling water for 1 minute, then rinse in cold water, squeeze out excess water, cut into small pieces, and mix with salt, MSG, sesame oil, and minced garlic to taste. It is ready to eat. Effect: Clears heat and detoxifies, reduces swelling and disperses nodules.
Dandelion Porridge
1. 50g dandelion, 100g japonica rice, 5g goji berries, appropriate amount of salt. 2. Clean fresh dandelion, blanch in boiling water for 1 minute, rinse in cold water, squeeze out excess water, chop finely, and extract the juice. Add the juice to the japonica rice and cook into porridge. Once cooked, add goji berries and salt to taste. Effect: Clears heat and detoxifies, reduces swelling and disperses nodules. Suitable for acute mastitis, acute tonsillitis, carbuncle heat toxins, urinary tract infections, hepatitis, cholecystitis, upper respiratory infections, and heat constipation.
Dandelion Soup (from “Medical Records of Traditional and Western Medicine”)
1. 200g fresh dandelion (or 100g dried dandelion). 2. Clean fresh dandelion, add 600ml of water and decoct. First, take 300ml warm, and use the remaining 300ml hot for eye washing. Effect: Clears heat and detoxifies. Used for eye diseases with swelling and pain, pterygium, red veins in the eyes, eye pain radiating to the brain, photophobia, and excessive tearing.
Dandelion Pancakes
1. Appropriate amount of dandelion, 2 pancakes, a little sweet bean sauce, sesame, and chili sauce. 2. Clean the dandelion, place it whole on the pancake, spread sweet bean sauce and chili sauce on the pancake, sprinkle with sesame, and roll it up. Effect: Clears heat and detoxifies.
Precautions for Eating Dandelion
1. Dandelion is cold in nature; those with kidney dysfunction, yang deficiency with external cold, or spleen and stomach weakness should avoid it. 2. Those with cold yin conditions or wind-cold colds should avoid it. 3. Some individuals may be allergic to dandelion; those with allergic constitutions should stop consumption if symptoms such as itching or urticaria occur. 4. Dandelion is a natural wild vegetable; it is best to blanch it in boiling water before consumption to remove oxalic acid and bitterness.
Source: Wuhu Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Written by Zheng Li
