The magical Chinese herb Astragalus

The magical Chinese herb Astragalus

Legend of "Huang Qi" (Astragalus):

Huang Qi, recorded in the <Shennong Bencao Jing>,has been passed down in China for over 2,800 years. According to the legend, there was an elderly physician named Dai San, who was skilled in acupuncture and known for his kindness and humility.

One day, while he was collecting herbs on a mountain, he came across a cliff where a woman was crying and shouting. It turned out that her child accidentally fell off the cliff, and although the child was caught by tree branches, their life was still in danger of falling.

Slowly, the old man descended the cliff, rescued the child from the tree, and handed the child back to the woman on the cliff. However, as the child was safely saved, the old man slipped and fell off the cliff.

 Later, people found the old man's body below the cliff and buried him at the edge of the cliff. After some time, those who paid respects at his tomb noticed a new plant growing nearby, with yellow flowers that they had never seen before. In memory of the old man, they named this medicinal herb "Huang Qi." The name "Huang Qi" literally means "yellow senior," fitting the image of the elderly physician.

People believed that this herb was a divine medicine brought by the spirit of Huang Qi to watch over and care for them. When people boiled the root of this plant and drank it as a decoction, they found it to be very invigorating, and they no longer felt tired after work. The old man's pain in the back and legs was relieved, and even when climbing and chopping wood, he was less breathless.

 Later, during the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese physician Li Shizhen explained in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" that "Qi" means growth and "Huang Qi" is yellow and can be used as a tonic.

 Huang Qi Medicinal Recipes:

Huang Qi Pig's Trotter Soup

Main Ingredients: 2 pig's trotters

Additional Ingredients: Huang Qi, Goji Berries, Scallions, Ginger, each in appropriate amounts

Seasoning: Rice Wine, Salt, Chicken Essence, Pepper, each in appropriate amounts

Method:

Blanch the pig's trotters in boiling water with two small spoons of rice wine. Boil them for a while to remove any excess oil and impurities. Then remove and rinse them with cold water.

Place the clean pig's trotters in a pressure cooker along with Huang Qi, Goji Berries, ginger slices, and scallions. Add a suitable amount of salt, chicken essence, a little pepper, and a small amount of rice wine.

Finally, add a sufficient amount of water to the pot, and after sealing the pressure cooker, cook on medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Huang Qi Brown Sugar Porridge

Main Ingredients: Rice (120g), Huang Qi (15g), Dried Tangerine Peel (3g)

Additional Ingredients: Brown Sugar to taste

Method:

Rinse the Huang Qi slices and put them in a pot with an appropriate amount of water. Cook for 15 minutes, then remove Huang Qi to extract the juice.

Rinse the rice and let it sit for a while.

Soak the dried tangerine peel and cut it into thin strips.

Put the rice and dried tangerine peel strips into the pot, add the Huang Qi juice, and then add an appropriate amount of water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat to simmer.

Cook until the porridge reaches the desired consistency. Add brown sugar and stir well, then continue cooking for a while before serving.