I was
introduced to Tian Qi, a Chinese herb, when I hit puberty. This was a period
where I would, literally, grow by centimeters when I hit the sack. Yes, we
humans only grow when we sleep. And this herb was believed to help the body to
generate and regenerate new cells for growth.
There was
a legend about how Tian Qi was discovered. A monkey was once badly injured by a
villager. After several days however, the monkey was seen to have made great
progress in recovery. The villager decided to trail the monkey and spied it
digging some roots to eat. After the monkey left, he dug up the root and took
it home. And that was how Tian Qi came to be a frequently prescribed medicine
among traditional Chinese physicians to this day.
The herb
is usually used in conjunction with Ginseng, because it is believed that Ginseng
is great for improving “qi” or energy while Tian Qi delivers benefits to the
blood and bones.
I wasn’t
the only one taking this herb; my pets loved it too. I would grind the herb
into powder and mix it into their food, and I was convinced that Tian Qi helped
heal my animals’ cuts and wounds faster.
As I grew
older, I would often boil the herb according to the recipe below. Tian Qi is
also known to stabilize blood pressure and prevent stroke. I would add pork trotter and chicken feet to
further supplement the collagen in my body. Tian Qi is easily available from
Chinese medical shops.
Tian Qi & Ginseng Soup
Tian Qi (田七) 10
g, sliced thinly
Ginseng (泡参) 20 g, sliced thinly
Pork
trotter 500 g
Chicken
feet 300 g
Chicken 400 g
Honey
dates 6
Chinese
yam 250 g, cut into
chunks
Water 4 litres
Salt 2
tsp
1.
Put
both Chinese herbs in a cloth bag. Secure the opening tightly.
2.
Blanch
pork trotter, chicken feet and chicken for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse meat
under tap water.
3.
Add
Chinese herbs, honey dates and Chinese yam in a pot of water. Bring to boil.
4.
Add
meat and boil for 10 minutes. Lower heat and simmer for 2 hours.
5.
Season
soup with salt.
6.
Serve
hot.
