Chinese Medicated Food: Pan Fried Chicken with Orange Day Lily and Lily

Both Orange Day Lily and Lily can be eaten when cooked.  The ingredients for this dish are:

• dried Orange Day Lily (金針花)
• Lily (百合), preferably fresh
• sliced chicken

Soak the dried Orange Day Lily in hot water for a few minutes.  Keep changing the water until it becomes clear.  Put the Orange Day Lily in a hot pan and fry.  Add the chicken slices and fry them until they are thoroughly cooked.  Add the Lily and once the Lily turns transparent, turn off the heat (this should happen fairly quickly).

What is this dish good for?  Orange Day Lily can refill the blood level in a human body and can make people feel calm. Lily also has the ability to make people feel calm.  This dish is good for people who need to think a lot in their daily routines.

Introduction to Chinese Medicated Food: Potato Soup

There is an old Chinese saying:

Medicine and food come from the same origin.

That means in the Chinese medicine philosophy, medicine and food are actually the same thing.  There is a subject area in Chinese medicine that studies the use of Chinese medicine in food for medical purposes.

Medicated Chinese dishes are actually quite easy to cook.  Here's an example of potato soup.  The ingredients are:

• Dang Shen (黨參, English name: Radix Codonopsis)
• Ginger
• Potatoes

Peel the potatoes.  Add water and all the ingredients in a pot.  Once the water starts boiling, turn the heat all the way down.  Keeping the soup heated for about 30 minutes.

What is this soup good for?  Dang Shen can refill the air and blood inside a human body.  It is sometimes referred to as the ginseng substitute because it is cheaper.  Potatoes can provide detoxification to the body and prevent constipation.