Chinese herbs

To say that Chinese herbs have come a long way is an ironic understatement. The history of Chinese herbs stretches back a few centuries and its medicinal properties were known since ancient times. The legend (by the myth-spinning Chinese, no doubt) recounts that the magical-medicinal nature was discovered when a farmer beat a snake senseless only to see its return the next day. After two more killings, he witnessed the reason for the snake's continuous resurrection - the bleeding snake headed to eat a clump of weeds, and its wounds were healed by the next morning. San qi, the main component in the much popularized Yunnan bai yao, a white herbal powder that works both the internal and external parts of the body, was hence, discovered.

The prowess of Chinese herbs and their medicinal value has been a gold mine and as any Chinese would proudly point out, even surpassed Western medicine in the treatment of diseases. According to The Chinese Medicine by Daniel P Reid, the use of arsenic and calomel for the treatment of venereal diseases foreshadowed Western practices by 400 years. Alexander Fleming may have discovered penicillin, but the Chinese had already formulated a method by then for treating 'ulcer of the lung', by using the fermented brine of vegetables much earlier. And at least more than 1,000 years ago, they were already treating enlarged thyroids with iodine, only to have the Westerners adopt this treatment recently.

Today, using Chinese herbs as medical science have increased by leaps and bounds. But the advantages of Chinese herbs have, in a fortunate twist, spilled forth from the traditional brewing pot. Chefs, who usually use these herbs with restraint (mostly limited to herbal chicken soup), have ventured to new ground. Western chefs have experimented with these Chinese herb varieties and discovered these are not impossible to cook with.


TIPS

For the most part, Chinese herbs come dried, so infusing them in hot water or boiling with other herbs and ingredients brings out their goodness and flavours. But when not used prudently, the advantages of Chinese herbs may just be reversed. A good case in point is the ma huang (ephedra sinica), a Chinese herb that has been in use for 5,000 years. The herb has found its way into weight supplement pills over the years and athletes are also known to consume ephedra to increase energy and endurance. This being considered misuse also means that there is high possibility of it being harmful to health when taken in large doses.