The benefits of astragalus root in Chinese cooking include strengthening the inner energy of the body and boosting the immune system. Try it with these 6 astragalus recipes.
Astragalus 黄芪 (huang qi) is widely used in soups that are considered general tonics, especially for people who are feeling a little under the weather. It helps to increase energy levels, build up resistance especially when your immune system is lowered by overworking and stress. If you are feeling a little blue or lethargic, try to add some astragalus into your diet.
I once tried to munch on a slice of astragalus root, just for fun. It is not harmful but I wouldn't recommend it. It isn't very nice. So, why should you eat it and how do you eat it?
Natural substances in the root promote blood cell formation in the bone marrow. It also stimulates the production of interferon, a protein that regulates cell growth and works on the immune system. It has also been observed to exhibit positive effects on viral infections, ulcers, blood pressures and certain types of cancer. It seems to have a diuretic function and acts positively on the liver. More research is being conducted to explore and learn about its effects on various types of diseases such as liver cancer and diabetes.
Astragalus powders and pills are now quite common in the drug stores. People are paying and taking these health supplements hoping that it would improve their health. But nothing beats preparing the real and natural thing in food. It is probably cheaper too.
Astragalus root, known scientifically as radix astragali, is the root portion of astragalus membranaceus or astragalus propinquus. A plant from the pea family, it is native to Mongolia. It is now grown commercially in Northeast China and Northern China. It has also been called milk-vetch root although I am not too sure if they refer to the same thing.
The root is long, cylindrical and yellow-brownish in colour. The root is dried and sliced thinly. It has a mild licorice-like taste.
I am most used to buying the thin long slices but am aware that it can come in chips, chunks and powder as well. I believe slices come from whole roots which are of better quality. But that's just my personal opinion.
Bei qi refers to astragalus root from Inner Mongolia. It is a slight variation and the quality is supposed to be better than those from other parts of China. So if you come across Chinese herbal recipes listing Bei qi as an ingredient, know that it is astragalus.
Because it is a root and isn't very palatable, it is almost always used in soups or tea, seldom in stir-fries or other types of cooking. I have recipes that paired it with tea, fish, pork, various vegetables and chicken.
In soups, it is almost always combined with other complementary Chinese herbs. The key is to consume it on a consistent basis. So, an astragalus tea infusion might be an easier way to introduce astragalus to your daily diet.
A visitor had contacted me saying that she substituted the dried root slices with astragalus powder from supplement capsules and that it worked. You may try it if you have them. You may have need to reduce the amount as powder tend to be more concentrated.
If you think you are coming down with a flu or cold, have sinus or an ear infection, try drinking astragalus root tea before you pop pills.
Ingredients
Adjust the strength of the tea to suit your preference by adjusting the amount of the astragalus added. Don't feel obliged to follow this recipe strictly.
Directions
This is a gentle and nourishing tonic soup. It is cooked slowly over a long period of time using preferably a Chinese double-boiling jar. If you don't have it, you can make this soup in a slow cooker or over the stovetop. It will require gentle low heat.
Ingredients
Directions (for double-boiling jar)
If you have a slow cooker or rice cooker that can fit the jar, use it. That way, you don't have to keep watch. ; )
This astragalus pork soup contains 6 different Chinese herbs. It is good for maintaining general health and to relieve tiredness.
The herbs came from a store-bought pre-mixed herbal soup pack. I took the soup pack apart and laid the herbs out onto a plate for a photo so that you can see the herbs clearly.
The pork ribs are freshly bought and a thermal cooking pot was used to simmer the soup. If you don't have a thermal pot, use a slow cooker or stock pot on the stovetop.
Besides parboiling the pork ribs in a separate pot first, everything else is placed together in the inner pot and cooked together. It is really super easy to prepare. It took approximately 10 minutes to bring everything to a boil on the stove and another 4 hours to cook in the thermal cooker using inducted heat.
Ingredients
Directions (for thermal cooking pot)
Chinese angelica root and astragalus root are good nourishing herbs. Cod contains protein, calcium and phosphorus. Suitable for 1 year old and above.
Ingredients
Directions
The next 2 astragalus recipes do not contain meat.
This is a home detox recipe and it contains tomato, broccoli and shiitake mushrooms. Together, the 3 ingredients offer loads of vitamins and minerals and are considered indispensable in diets aimed at cancer prevention.
Broccoli and tomato is considered a great anti-oxidant pair. They are reputed to aid in cell repair, balance blood pressure and lower blood sugar. However, they are not suitable for everyone. Those with kidney problems should avoid them.
The instruction is to remove the tomato skin because it is not easily digested. This is good for people who have digestive issues or for the elderly. If you like the skin (like me), you can skip that step.
Ingredients
Directions
This recipe contains broccoli, carrot, corn and potato. It boosts your immunity. Of all the vegetables in this recipe, broccoli cooks the quickiest, turning yellow and losing its nutrients. Cut into small florets and add it LAST.
Ingredients
Directions
In traditional Chinese medicine, Bei Qi is commonly recommended to many types of immune disorders caused by poor or low immune functions. Because it stimulates your immune system, people with already over-active immune systems such as patients with multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis should not consume it. The same goes for organ transplant patients. It is also notrecommended for pregnant or nursing women.
I hope this article on the benefits of astragalus and the 6 recipes have been informative and helpful. If it has, please share and add any comments.