Here is a variation on the wintermelon soup using chicken as the protein instead of pork. It’s slightly cooling, helping to repair your yin energy and release heat from the body.
I used a new root that I normally don’t put into this soup, which is the Japanese gobo root. It’s has earthy, dark, and rich tones, so only use 3-4 pieces of it. Add in your Chinese herbal base of dried red dates, dried longans, dried scallops, and dried goji berries to lighten it up and you’ve got yourself a beautiful summer soup for the whole family!
What’s involved?
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 30 mins on stove + 4 hours in thermal pot
Ingredient Name: Rehmannia root, Chinese foxglove root, Sheng di huang, Radix Rehmanniae
Chinese Name:生地 (Shēng dì)
A very interesting and scary looking Chinese medicine. My herbalist recommended this to me for my “cooling” tea to rid me of my “fiery” condition of sore throat and heaty body. I had to ask him a few times what it is and then spell it for me in the simplest of Chinese terms, but I managed to come to a good understanding of this ingredient. This will make any water, soup, tea, drink BLACK – so beware. It’s not a bad thing, but sometimes black and dark things aren’t the most pleasant things to drink – well, except for black coffee for some people and cola. But in Chinese medicine, black is usually associated with bitter.
What is this?
The root of the Chinese foxglove plant
The root is harvested in the spring or autumn, dried in the sun and sliced into usable portions
This plant is most commonly found in China and the root is a common Chinese medicine ingredient
It is known as a “cooling” ingredient with sweet and bitter properties
The root is almost black in color and will certainly make your soup or tea black
Found in various forms such as dried (as picture above) or powdered
How do I prepare it?
Rinse in warm water before usage
Where can I buy this?
Most herbalists will carry this ingredient
Chinese medicine stores
What is the cost?
Relatively affordable
As pictured above, 2 pieces I purchase cost me $3 HKD
Any benefits?
Helps remove heatiness in the body and cool the blood
Relieves sore throats, dry mouths and helps cool the body to eliminate thick, green mucous caused by heatiness
Can help reduce a low-grade fever
Can help eliminate and reduce cold sores in the mouth and tongue
Nourishes the “yin”
Any precautions?
As it is cooling, it should be avoided by pregnant women in their first trimester (or even throughout a pregnancy) as it stimulates menstruation (it is also known to be used to prevent or terminate pregnancies)
Avoid if you’re lactating (breastfeeding)
Avoid using or consuming this ingredient if you have spleen problems, diarrhea or lack of appetite
This is the dried version of the Fresh Chinese Yam, which is a white long root with a brown outer skin. When dried, the Chinese Yam is usually proceed into 1-2 inches in length, flat, and very chalky white. It is tasteless, produces no colour in the soup, and is one of the common Chinese Soup pantry ingredients. It’s used in soups, stews, and sometimes even desserts! There are a few variety of these types of Chinese Yams, including a fresh Japanese variant, which is just as yummy in soups.
How do I prepare it?
Soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This is to remove any of the chemicals used during processing and to allow it to soften and expand
It’s used as it directly in soups. There’s no need to cut it any further.
Where can I buy it and cost?
You can purchase dried Chinese Yam from most Asian supermarkets prepackaged
These are also available either prepackaged or “pick your volume” in Chinese Herbal Stores
You can also purchase this in bulk from specialty stores (online herbal shops)
What is the cost?
A package costs around $3-5 CAD
Any benefits?
It is often used in combination with meats and other Chinese herbs to help digestion and regulate sugar levels
Traditionally it is used to relieve stomach pains and diarrhea
When boiled with chicken and a variety of other Chinese herbs, it is an ideal confinement soup as it helps control inflammation of the uterus
It is considered a neutral ingredient
Be sure to consult with your doctor first if you have any questions regarding this herb
Any precautions?
Excess consumption is known to cause frequent urination and perspiration
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