Zhi Ke Tang - 止咳汤

Since the Weather is changing very fast during these few months, it's good to drink this herbal drink regularly to relieve cough and strengthens functions of respiratory system. You can have this at least once or twice a week like normal herbal drinks.


Chuan Bei Mu(川贝母)
It’s bittersweet in taste and slightly cold in nature. It clears Heat, moistens the Lungs, eases coughing, expels phlegm, cures oedema and promotes the flow of Qi and blood. It is commonly used in curing Qi-Asthenia in the Lungs, prolonged coughing, lung pain, breast pain and scrofula.

Dried Chrysanthemum(菊花)
Cool and slightly cold; sweet and bitter; attributive to lungs and liver. It can lower blood pressure; improve vision due to kidney and liver dysfunction; clear internal heat; eases swelling and inflammation; nourish blood. Also effective for vertigo, headache with fever and for eye aches or itchiness.

Dried Fig(无花果)
Makes stomach active, improves flow in the intestines, clears constipation.

Gan Cao(干草)
It’s naturally sweet and warm, no toxins which helps to circulates around 12 major blood vessels in body. It also strengthens spleen and benefits energy, moistens lungs and calms coughing, slows and cures pain forms classic medicine flavour.

Ju Bing(桔饼)
It Promote energy circulation; strengthen spleen; relieve coughing; help digestion and relieve cough.

Sweet & Bitter Almond(南北杏)
Sweet almond tastes sweet and is of neutral nature. It does not carry any toxic element, and heals coughing. Bitter almond tastes bitter and is of warm nature. It carries slight trace of toxic but heals coughing and expels sputum. Mixing the two together will make a soup that clears the Heat, moistness internal Dryness and avoid coughing.

Ingredients: (serve 3-4)
40g Sweet & Bitter Almond(南北杏)
2 Ju Bing(桔饼)
15g Chuan Bei Mu(川贝母)
10 Dried Figs(无花果)
6g Gan Gao(干草)
5-10g Dried Chrysanthemum(菊花)
1-2 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar(optional)

Methods:
1. Roughly rinse the ingredients then add in add around 1.5 litres of water and boil for 1 – 2 hours under low heat and serve.
2. Or you can transfer everything to a slow cooker and simmer on Auto Function for 2 hours.

Notes: You can get those dark brown sugar in chinese medical hall, it's good to use them in herbal drink as it had some detoxify function according to some old folk tale. If not, just add in some rock sugar if you want it to be sweeter.

Lemon Curd

Lemon curd is a delicious tart, soft, thick, spreadable cooked cream that contains eggs, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. It has more lemon juice and zest and a more buttery taste than lemon filling. Lemon curd can be served as a spread for scones or toast, and goes well with tea at any time of day. It is also wonderful as a filling in trifles, tarts, sponge and cakes.

In this recipe the lemon curd is cooked over a saucepan of simmering water to help prevent the eggs from curdling and curd getting burnt. Problems can arise (eg: curd not thickening) if the temperature of the 'simmering' water is too low. Unfortunately, on the stove we do not use exact temperatures like we do with ovens. In this recipe "simmer" is defined as the point just short of a boil which is when bubbles begin to appear.

The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Remember to cover immediately (so a skin doesn't form) and it can be kept refrigerate for up to 1 month. Thanks Tracy for introducing me this wonder and fragrant Lemon Curd.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup(125ml) Lemon Juice
150g Caster Sugar
65g Butter, cubes
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 Grated Lemon Rinds

Methods:
1. Place lemon juice, lemon rinds and sugar into a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Add butter, stir until melted then remove from the stove.
3. Slowly whisk in the beaten egg and stir the mixture together at the same time until well combined.
4. Next pour the egg mixture through a fine strainer into a big glass/stainless steel mixing bowl to remove any lumps.
5. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and simmer and stir often for about 25 minutes or more until the mixture thicken(like custard) and coats the back of a metal spoon.
6. Make sure that the mixture does not boil or it will curdle.
7. When the lemon curd is ready, pour it into prepared warm, sterilised jars. Seal tightly, allow it to cool then store in the refridgerator.

Notes: If you prefer a thicker curd, make a paste of 1 teaspoon cornflour and 2 teaspoons water. Blend into prepared hot curd. Transfer to a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute then pour into jars.

Stir-Fry Udon

Udon is made by kneading wheat flour, salt, and water. Dried udon, boiled udon, and fresh udon are available in the Japanese section in most supermarket. To cook udon noodles, following the instruction in the package is the best since cooking time differs in each kind. Today, we are making Stir-fry Udon With Cabbage and Honshimeiji Mushroom.

Ingredients:
120g Pork Fillet, cut into thin strips
225g Cabbage, shredded
1 Packet Honshimeiji Mushroom
1 Packet Udon Noodle
1 Teaspoon Mince Garlic

Seasoning:
1/2 Tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Sugar

Methods:
1. Wash pork fillet and cut into thin strips then marinated with 1/2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce and 1/2 Teaspoon Cornflour.
2. Rinse Udon noodles with water, loosen it and drained.
3. Wash cabbage and shredded.
4. Cut the end of the Honshimeiji Mushroom, rinse and blanch it hot water and drained.
5. Preheat 2 tablespoons of oil, statue garlic and pork fillet until fragrant, add noodle and seasoning then stir till well combine.
6. Next add in cabbage and mushroom then stir well and serve.

Notes: You can used 2 Packets Of Udon Noodle and double the quantity of the seasoing.

Conch & Sea Cucumber Soup

This is a very light and clear soup filling with the sea conch and sea cucumber fragrant. The sea conch and carrot give out a sweet and appearling taste to this soup. You can find out more about Sea Conch & Sea Cucumber in Common Ingredients Used link.


Ingredients:
250g Soaked Sea Cucumber
30g Dried Conch slices
300g Pork Ribs
1 Large Carrot, cut into section
2 Honey Dates
2 Slices Ginger
6 Cups Water(ard 1.5 Litre)

Methods:
1. Prepare the sea cucumber, scaled with ginger and spring onion and cut into pieces.(or you can get those ready to eat sea cucumber from supermarket)
2. Rinse and scald pork ribs.
3. Peel carrot and fresh huai shan, rinse and cut into pieces.
4. Bring water to boil, put in pork ribs, dried conch slices, carrots, huai shan, honey dates and ginger slices.
5. Bring to boil over high heat for 10 minutes then remove to low heat and simmer for 1.5 hrs.
6. Add in sea cucumber and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes or then season with salt and serve.
7. Or you can simmer all ingredients except sea cucumber in a slow-cooker over low heat for 2 hrs then add in the sea cucumber and continue on high heat for 30 minutes.