The Soup Queen

Here's a peek at some of my favourite herb books on my bursting bookshelves! Many of these books can be bought or sourced from any good bookstore like Borders, Popular, Kinokuniya and MPH. I refer to these books a lot as they're full of information and one read cannot glean them all. Books by DK ( www.dk.com ) or Dorling Kindersley are fantastic - they come with colour photos and that's always helpful when I am trying to figure out which herb is which! Slowly build up your books on TCM and herbs as there are plenty out there. Get them with hardcover if you can - they're sturdier and last longer because you will be referring to them a lot in your study of herbs off and on. I started collecting these books about 5 years ago and am still slowly building up a collection. I cross-refer when I am unsure (and refer online when I am really stumped!). But books, unlike websites, can be picked up anytime for a quick perusal. Switching on my laptop takes much longer! If you have ...

I know this is not a soup BUT it does taste so good and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare. It has a bit of a gravy that goes well with plain rice. White radish is a versatile root vegetable. You probably have eaten radish in its other forms in Japanese or Korean cuisine. In Korean food, you probably have eaten radish as a spicy kimchi. In Japanese cuisine, you would have been familiar with "daikon" used in Japanese stews or even as a white shredded pile of mush you usually add to the dipping sauce for tempura. But a word of caution, if you have taken herbal soups such as ginseng a few hours before, you should NOT take anything (soup or otherwise) that is cooked with white radish. White radish detoxes the body of all the goodness that you have just eaten. I once heard that if you have food poisoning, taking white radish is good as it helps flushes out the unwanted from your body. Anyway, white radish is a vegetable you should eat if you want a clear complexion. Perhaps tha...

This is one of my favourite blood tonics! I have grown up with this herb because my mom used to boil dong quai for my sisters and me especially when our menses are over. Mom used to emphasise that women benefit most from this herbal soup/tonic. Now that I've married and left home, I still make this dong quai tonic for myself each month. Not many people like the smell of dong quai - but I do. The smell of dong quai simmering in the slow cooker for a few hours is out of this world. Again, I am one of the many odd ones out. Many people I know will run at the smell of chinese herbs but not me. I enjoy going into Chinese medicine shops, and the smell of herbs is divine! Dong quai is really a woman's herb because it helps to correct women's problems such as painful periods, irregular periods, PMS, hormonal imbalance, anaemia, fatigue, high blood pressure, postpartum conditions and menopausal symptoms. If you're a woman and feeling blah most of the time, you should ...

What do you do when you're too tired to cook dinner? Sometimes I resort to making porridge or congee. Porridge is filling yet nutritious and with a rice cooker, you can cook porridge in 1 hour or less. This time, I will show you how to cook a simple chicken porridge with 3 basic ingredients - chicken, dried scallops and rice. I use chicken wings because I like the texture and softness of chicken wings but you can use any part of the chicken you like. Chop the chicken meat into fairly large pieces. Set aside. Wash rice as if you are going to cook rice. A cup of rice is enough for two persons. Put rice into your rice cooker and add 3 times the water. More water is better than less. Your porridge will thicken as it sets. Into this rice + water mix, add chicken. Add 3 large dried scallops (pre-soak in water to soften). Break up the scallops gently. That's it. Place the lid on the cooker (do not cover tightly or your porridge will boil over! And what a mess that will be) and switch...

It's often difficult to find soups which cater specifically for vegetarians as most Chinese TCM soups do contain some meat or other. I got this recipe from Bao Ma, that famous Taiwanese mother of Ah Bao (Eric Tsang's bubbly daughter who is a TV host in Taiwan). A few years ago, Ah Bao and her mum (or Mrs Eric Tsang) did a cooking show over TV - all about soups! How I loved that show. I was inspired to be more kitchen-friendly after viewing those episodes. Bao Ma used to recommend super simple soup recipes which I often scribbled down, and that's how I brushed up on my Mandarin. I never went to a Chinese school (which is often a big regret) but I have always felt at home with Mandarin. I do speak the language though, and am able to read basic Mandarin. With Bao Ma's how to make soup TV series, it was two favourite passions rolled into one: I got to learn how to make soups and learnt how proper Mandarin is spoken. As well as what certain herbs were named in Chinese. Well,...

It's been a busy month for me. Every other day, I've had to work on some client's project or go out and discuss something or another. That's why the SoupQueen has been missing from the kitchen and as such, not many soups to recommend! Anyway, I came across a website which talks about TCM and TCM herbs. I'm always on the lookout for good herb glossaries because herbs are just wonderful for health. And always good for soups. This website which I came across is called Sacred Lotus Arts Traditional Chinese Medicine. I was looking for a reason why I am spotting after my menses. Yep, there is a term for this. It's called Metrorrhagia. Anyway, one search led to another and that's how I ended up at the Sacred Lotus website which is truly a gem of a find. It has herbs plus photos of herbs. I always believe photos are always better than illustrations. And the herbs are in Pinyin too so it's easy to find the herb you want. If you like, you can search using Latin or...

I'm a big believer in flower teas - you know, teas made from real flowers. Of course, the easiest is chrysanthemum tea . But lately, there's been much interest about other flowers such as rose, lavender, jasmine, rosemary, sweet osmanthus and globe amaranth which can be made into healthy teas. Plus the fact that it helps with detoxing and beautification is another reason why women like me buy into these teas! Personally I've enjoyed drinking rose tea . Just add a few dried roses into a mug, pour in freshly boiled hot water and let it steep for 10 minutes. Instant rose tea. Add some honey if you want it sweet. Roses naturally add to women's health because it relieves menstrual pains, invigorates the blood and helps rid one of bruises. Rose is essentially the woman's flower! Globe amaranth tea is also easy to brew. Buy dried globe amaranth (those purple heads of flowers in any good tea shop) and add to a mug of hot water with a slice of dried haw, some cubes of rock ...

Amaranth or Chinese spinach is a leafy vegetable streaked with red. If you make a soup with amaranth, your soup will look red! But don’t worry. The colour is all natural and is really good for your health. I always remember this soup because as a child, I’ve often been persuaded to drink it so that I would grow strong like Popeye the Sailor Man! Only when I grew up that I realized Popeye’s spinach and Chinese spinach were totally different! Amaranth is called ‘een choy’ in Cantonese or ‘bayam’ in Malay. It is good for women particularly as it contains iron for blood-building and folic acid for women who intend to get pregnant. But amaranth like spinach contains oxalic acid too so it may not be too suitable for those who cannot digest too much oxalic acid. According to Wikipedia, the high content of oxalic acid prevents calcium absorption and this vegetable should not be taken by people with kidney problems, gout or rheumatoid arthritis. Reheating this vegetable is also not encouraged b...

Today I looked up a recipe for nourishing lungs and found this simple dessert soup. I’ve been feeling out of sorts for the past two days, itchy throat, blocked and stuffed nose and sniffles all about. These symptoms indicate that my lungs were weak and if you have problems with your lungs, you will also have constipation because the nose, lungs and large intestine are interconnected, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine. You can use acupressure to relieve the stuffed nose, like I did. Press with your fingers both sides of your nose, on your cheeks. You can also press on the ‘third eye’, the area between your eye brows. Or press both sides of your nostrils, near your eye area. These will help clear your sinus a bit or at least allow you to breathe easier. The other point is behind your head, near your ears. Feel for a soft spot on both your left and right and press to get rid of the stuffy nose. You can also massage your jawline to stimulate the lymph glands so they can work overti...

This is a nourishing tea/sweet dessert soup recipe I picked up from a recipe book which I bought a few weeks ago. It’s decidedly simple and easy to make – that’s why it makes a great introduction to 2007 – it is in fact the first post of the year. I would call this a nourishing drink because the three main ingredients (see title above) are good for building blood, regenerating Qi and beneficial to the eyes. This can be served on its own, as an afternoon drink (please serve it warm) or after a lovely dinner to clear the palate. Here’s how you make this tea/sweet soup which serves 4 persons easily: Red Dates, Longan and Medlar Seeds Tea * 8 large red dates, pitted * 2 tablespoons of medlar seeds/boxthorn seeds, rinsed and soaked in water for 10 minutes and then drained * 10 dried longans, washed * 4-6 small cubes of rock sugar * 1 liter of water Method: Bring a liter of water to boil in a pot. Add all ingredients and let it come back to a boil f...

I recently got to know of a simple recipe while browsing in the bookstore. This is very simple but very beneficial to everyone especially if you are prone to tiredness or generally feel out of sorts and need a pick-me-up that's gentle and soothing. It's a tea made using a Chinese herb called Huang Qi (which is a root). It is sold cheaply in chinese herbal shops as strips of dried root, sliced thinly. Just put some into a liter of water, bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. That's it. Sip throughout the day. Despite the simplicity of this drink (which you can drink throughout the day), this herb is full of health benefits (In English it is known as milk vetch root). It is a herb that helps with your Qi, Spleen, Blood and Stomach. I read that it is also good for the Heart. It is used to tonify one's defensive Qi and as such, drinking huang qi tea helps to boost one's immune system. If you are prone to colds (it means your lungs are weak), Huang Qi is the herb ...

We Chinese pay particular attention to the yin and yang balance of our bodies. Our concept of eating has to be balanced with the changes in weather. Although in Malaysia , the weather is tropical all year round and we don’t experience snow or fall, the fluctuations between hot, humid and warm can take a toll on how we feel and taxes our bodies too. It must be global warming because the weather in Penang right now is very hot! The mornings start off extremely warm and the heat increases during noon . My skin literally burns when I get out into the sun. It’s a searing heat that can be quite lethal. The sun keeps this dry heat going on the whole day until dusk sets. When evenings come, the day’s heat has become heavy rain clouds, pregnant with rain and thunder. The evenings are stormy and rain comes often. It is these two very extreme ends of the weather that causes many people to feel uncomfortable. Hot in the day and cold in the night. To combat this hot weather, I remember the...

This week I am going to talk about a Traditional Chinese Herb in the form of a root. We Cantonese call it “wai san” but it is also known as “shan yao ”. It is a root that is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine – dried white slices which are added to soups. It is also called Chinese yam, Japanese mountain yam and Korean yam ( Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae ) . The wai san that I usually know is in the form of dried slices which is not very tasty even though it has been boiled and simmered in soups. When I was in the wet market, I chanced upon the fresh version of wai san when I asked my vegetables-seller what this funny-looking root was. Here’s a little bit about this humble herb which actually is very good for the body. Wai san is an anti-ageing herb (that should be enough to get you scrambling to your nearest wet market in search of this root) and is particularly beneficial for the stomach, spleen and lungs. According to Alternative Healing http: //al ternativehealing.org/huai_...

This week, I made a super easy soup. This soup is beautifully delicious and soothing because of the natural sweetness of corn and carrot. Dried oysters are added to give more oomph or body to the soup. Carrots are a good source of betacarotene and good for the eyes. Definitely a soup for people who often work in front of computers. Dried oysters help increase milk in nursing mothers and is a blood tonic for those suffering from anaemia. To make this soup, you will need the following: 3 chicken carcasses 10 dried oysters, soaked and softened in water 1-2 whole corn, washed and cut into large segments 1 large carrot, washed, deskinned and chopped into large chunks 5 - 7 dried red dates to harmonize and balance the soup 1. Bring a pot of water to boil, around 1.5 liters. 2. When the water starts to boil, put all the ingredients in. 3. Let it boil furiously for 10 minutes. 4. Turn fire down low, place cover on pot and let soup simmer for 2 hours. 5. After 2 hours, add 3 teaspoons of salt a...

This is a simple and quick soup and can be ready in 30 minutes. Yes, it is that easy. This soup does not qualify as a slow simmered soup as it needs a fast boil. Very suitable for moms who are home late and need to whip up nutritious yet fast soups. This soup needs two major ingredients - matrimony vine and wolfberry fruits. Actually they are both from the same family! Matrimony vine leaves are the leaves from the tree which bears the wolfberry fruits (lycium chinense or L.barbarum). Wolfberry or "kei chi" or "gou qi zi" is a staple in many Cantonese homes/kitchens. I used to grow up drinking soups which contained these little sweetish red berries or what my yoga teacher calls "chinese raisins". They're also known as Duke of Argyll's tea tree. I wonder why! Wolfberry fruits are usually dried, wrinkled berries which can be bought from any good Chinese medical hall or herbalist. Quality berries are large and plump, not shrivelled beyond recognition. ...

This week I made pinto bean soup because my vegetable-seller at the Lip Sin market told me that these beans were good nourishment for the back. A small packet of the pinto beans cost RM2. I didn't know the name of this bean but a quick check online using Google and Google Images search did the trick. These pinto beans are white but freckled and part of the kidney bean family. Pinto means 'painted' in Spanish which is quite accurate as the beans are white and mottled. These beans are a favourite in Mexican dishes. Similar to other beans, the pinto bean contains iron, potassium, selenium, molybdenum, thiamine, vitamin B6, and folic acid. For me, I made these beans into soup. The soup is deliciously sweet and clear. The ingredients are: 1 packet of pinto beans (available fresh from your wet market) 5-8 dried longans 5-8 dried red dates 300gm of blanched meat/ribs 1.5 liters of water Bring the water to a boil and add all ingredients into the pot. Boil furiously for 10 minutes. ...

This is a lovely dessert for anaemic women especially for those who often feel dizzy. It is also good for women who have just given birth. It's basically a tonic for the blood. Men can also drink this as the two ingredients are good for promoting general well-being. Dried longan is warming but it is recommended as a titbit/snack for expecting moms. It also helps with people suffering from insomnia, forgetfulness and anxiety. It contains iron, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and large amounts of vitamins A and C. In traditional Chinese medicine, longan is associated with the Heart and Spleen meridians. It is helpful for calming the spirit. Dried red dates as I have mentioned before are a must-have in the Cantonese kitchen. It's a blood tonic and helps to balance or harmonize soups. The concept of Yin-yang balance is reflected in the way we cook. Remember to remove the stones as the stones create dampness and phlegm. Red dates replenishes the Qi, nourishes blood and reliev...

I hesitated in making this soup because white radish tends to stink up the whole kitchen when it is simmering. The stink, as one little girl admits, smells like very bad gas! But white radish or daikon makes good soups because the soups are very 'sweet'. When Cantonese use the word 'theemm' for soups, it doesn't mean they are sweet like sugary sweet. 'Theemm' is a single word which means a lot - it denotes deliciousness that's deeper; when Cantonese mention 'cheng theemm', it translates loosely as 'clear and delicious'. Anyway, white radish or 'lor pak' (in Cantonese)is purportedly good for breastfeeding mothers. If you add dried cuttlefish to the white radish soup, it encourages lactation. The white radish is also good for clearing heat because of its cold nature. As such, the elderly should not take too much of this soup. And if you are on medication or taking herbal tonics, you certainly do not want to drink this soup as white ...

Here are some links to Chinese related sites with a herbal glossary or index where you can click to find out about individual herbs. If you know any great site, please share your links too! http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral/c.html http://www.foodsnherbs.com/the_superior_herbs.htm http://www.senhealth.com

This is a favourite soup of mine. It's clear and very soothing. And when you're simmering this soup, your neighbours would probably know you're having Old Cucumber (Lou Wong Kua in Cantonese) Soup. Old cucumber is actually matured cucumber. It has a brownish hard skin on the outside. It looks like a melon because it is fat and squat. My vegetable-seller tells me that the older the cucumber, the better it tastes! Many people shy away from using pork ribs for this soup; they prefer to use chicken thighs without skin. But I like my soups to be robust and flavourful so I tend to use pork ribs. Chicken-based soups taste completely different from pork-based soups. I am fundamentally Chinese in this aspect. Old cucumber is not only cooling for blistering hot days but is also good for the skin. I read somewhere that it helps to prevent aging! Now that's enough reason for us all to run to the nearest wet market to get some old cucumbers! Anyway, some people prefer to cut the cuc...