From the kitchen
Recipes from Asia
39 recipes · 5 traditions
Recipes from the traditions of Asia, grouped by tradition. Each recipe links to the herbs it uses.
These are traditional dishes, not treatments. Also read the safety information for each herb, especially during pregnancy, when taking medication, or for children.
Ayurveda
1 recipe
Chinese medical traditions
32 recipes
AsiaSweating tea with elder, yarrow and mintA classic hot tea for the start of a cold with fever and little sweating.ColdsSore throatElderberry · Yarrow · MintAbout 4 cups · Steep 15–30 minutes
AsiaCooling sun teaHerbs that steep in the sun for a few hours: a refreshing drink for warm days.Hot daysBorage · Lemon balm · Bitter orange3 litres · 4–6 hours in the sun
AsiaWhite radish soup with Chinese asparagusClear soup with tian men dong and white radish: moistening and cooling.Cough and lungsRecovery after illness or childbirthChinese asparagus root (tian men dong) · Radish4 people · Preparation 5 min, cooking 25 min
AsiaPoached egg with mushrooms in clear brothChicken broth with pine nuts, shiitake and a poached egg.Tiredness and strengthPine · Shiitake5 people · Preparation 20 min (plus 30 min soaking), cooking 1 h 20 min
AsiaLingzhi soup with lean porkLong-simmered soup with lingzhi, Chinese yam, jujubes and goji.Health and long lifeTiredness and strengthLingzhi (reishi) · Chinese yam (shan yao) · Jujube (red date)4–6 people · Preparation 5 min, cooking 2 h 45 min
AsiaBrown rice with bamboo shoots and Chinese dodderRice cooked together with tu si zi seeds.Lower back and kidneysMenstruation and fertilityChinese dodder (tu si zi)4 people · Preparation 5 min, cooking 50 min
AsiaFish ball soup with spinach and niu xiHomemade fish balls, prawns and spinach in an 'ox knee' broth.Menstruation and fertilityLower back and kidneysAchyranthes root (huai niu xi)4 people · Preparation 30 min, cooking 25 min
Alpha from Melbourne, Australia · CC BY-SA 2.0AsiaWatercress and spare rib soup with dried figsA cooling family soup with watercress, figs and apricot kernels.Hot daysCough and lungsWatercress · Apricot · Fig4 people · Preparation 10 min (plus 1 hour soaking), cooking 2 h 30 min
AsiaFish and vegetable soup with celosia seedLight soup with white fish, kelp and qing xiang zi seeds.Eyes and blood pressureCelosia seed (qing xiang zi) · Kelp4 people · Preparation 15 min (plus 30 min soaking), cooking 1 h 15 min- AsiaMiso fish soup with daikon and Chinese yamQuick miso soup with white fish and mashed yam.DigestionChinese yam (shan yao) · Radish · Kelp4 people · Preparation 30 min, cooking 15 min
AsiaPigeon stew with Chinese yam and gojiOne of the classic strengthening dishes of Chinese herbal cooking.Tiredness and strengthImmunityChinese yam (shan yao) · Goji (Chinese wolfberry)4 people · Preparation 10 min, cooking 2 h 5 min
AsiaCurry rice with Chinese cinnamonBrown rice with vegetable curry on a cinnamon bark broth.Feeling coldRecovery after illness or childbirthCinnamon6 people · Preparation 30 min, cooking 50 min
AsiaShellfish soup with chuanxiongWarming winter soup with clams, ginger and chuanxiong.Menstruation and fertilityRecovery after illness or childbirthBlood and circulationSzechuan lovage (chuan xiong)4–6 people · Preparation 30 min, cooking 1 h 10 min
AsiaFish soup with papaya and tofuSimple, protein-rich soup for young and old.EverydayPapaya · Soy · Ginger4 people · Preparation 15 min, cooking 30 min
AsiaPork soup with water chestnuts and jujubesSweetish soup with carrot, water chestnut and red jujubes.Tiredness and strengthCough and lungsJujube (red date) · Water chestnut · Carrot4 people · Preparation 30 min, cooking 2 h 30 min
AsiaChicken soup with tian qiClear chicken soup with notoginseng and ginger.Blood and circulationTiredness and strengthNotoginseng (san qi)4–6 people · Preparation 10 min, cooking 2 h 30 min
AsiaPork soup with cordyceps and fish mawRich, strengthening soup with cordyceps, Chinese yam and fish maw.Tiredness and strengthImmunityCaterpillar fungus (cordyceps) · Chinese yam (shan yao)4–6 people · Preparation 10 min (plus 3 hours soaking), cooking 2 h 30 min
Zheng Zhou · CC BY-SA 4.0AsiaSpare rib soup with lotus root and four herbsSoup with dang shen, yu zhu, sha shen and lily bulb for recovery after cough and colds.Recovery after illness or childbirthCough and lungsCodonopsis (dang shen) · Fragrant Solomon's seal (yu zhu) · Glehnia root (sha shen)4 people · Preparation 15 min, cooking 2 h 30 min
AsiaBrown rice with shiitake, peas and fu lingRice cooked with finely mashed fu ling and shiitake.Rest and sleepImmunityPoria (fu ling) · Shiitake4 people · Preparation 15 min (plus 1 hour soaking), cooking 50 min
AsiaChicken stewed with Job's tearsStew with chicken, mushrooms, ginger and the nutty grain of Job's tears.Joints and musclesJob's tears (coix seed) · Ginger6 people · Preparation 20 min (plus overnight soaking), cooking 2 h 10 min
AsiaLongan chicken soup with three seedsSweet broth with privet fruit, Chinese raspberry, goji and longan.Menstruation and fertilityBlood and circulationGlossy privet (nu zhen zi) · Chinese raspberry (fu pen zi) · Goji (Chinese wolfberry)4–6 people · Preparation 5 min, cooking 2 hours
AsiaFour-herb tonic soupWarming soup with fox nut, Chinese yam, lotus seed, fu ling and Job's tears.Tiredness and strengthRest and sleepFeeling coldFox nut (qian shi) · Chinese yam (shan yao) · Sacred lotus4–6 people · Preparation 10 min (plus overnight soaking), cooking 1 h 10 min- AsiaSteamed egg with shiitake and fox nutSoft egg custard with prawns and mushrooms on a fox nut broth.Health and long lifeTiredness and strengthFox nut (qian shi) · Shiitake4 people · Preparation 15 min, cooking 1 hour
Kembangraps · CC BY-SA 4.0AsiaCongee with Job's tears and brown riceRice porridge for breakfast, savoury or sweet.Joints and musclesDigestionTiredness and strengthJob's tears (coix seed)4 people · Preparation 5 min (plus overnight soaking), cooking 1 hour
AsiaSweetcorn soup with astragalusCorn soup on a 'jade windscreen' broth.ImmunityColdsAstragalus (huang qi) · White atractylodes (bai zhu) · Saposhnikovia root (fang feng)4–6 people · Preparation 15 min, cooking 35 min
AsiaSteamed black chicken with jujubes and longanThe traditional recovery dish after childbirth.Recovery after illness or childbirthBlood and circulationJujube (red date) · Longan · Sesame4 people · Preparation 20 min (plus 30 min marinating), steaming 1 hour
AsiaPigeon egg soup with white fungusA quick soup to regain strength.Recovery after illness or childbirthSnow fungus (bai mu er)4–6 people · Preparation 10 min (plus 10 min soaking), cooking 5 min
AsiaBraised sesame beef with fennelBeef in a crust of toasted sesame, seasoned with fennel seed.DigestionFeeling coldSesame · Fennel4 people · Preparation 20 min (plus 2 hours standing), cooking 40 min
AsiaVegetarian eight-treasure soupSweet herbal soup with chestnuts, ginkgo nuts, jujubes and white fungus; warm or cold.EverydaySnow fungus (bai mu er) · Ginkgo · Jujube (red date)6–8 people · Preparation 30 min, cooking 2 h 15 min- AsiaSweet soup with white fungus, lotus root and jujubesStrengthening dessert soup with rock sugar.Tiredness and strengthBlood and circulationSnow fungus (bai mu er) · Sacred lotus · Jujube (red date)4–6 people · Preparation 15 min (plus 15 min soaking), cooking 1 h 5 min
AsiaSteamed pears with bei muWarm dessert for dry, congested lungs.Cough and lungsFritillaria bulb (bei mu) · Pear · Cinnamon4–6 people · Preparation 5 min, steaming 1 hour
2225Group8 · CC BY-SA 3.0AsiaBlack sesame drinkA warm drink in five minutes.Blood and circulationHair and scalpSkin careSesame1 glass · 5 minutes
Korean hanbang and the Donguibogam
2 recipes
AsiaSaenggang-cha, Korean ginger teaGinger preserved in honey, a spoonful of which you stir into hot water in winter.ColdsFeeling coldDigestionGingerA jar for about 15 cups · 20 minutes, plus 1 week ripening
가을들녁 · CC BY 2.0 KRAsiaDaechu-cha, jujube teaA sweet, dark tea of dried jujubes, simmered until almost syrupy.Rest and sleepTiredness and strengthJujube (red date) · Ginger4 cups · 1 hour
Jamu in Indonesia
2 recipes
Fhikri Latifi · CC BY 4.0AsiaKunyit asamTurmeric and tamarind: the best-known jamu, sold door to door in Java every day.Menstruation and fertilityHot daysTurmeric · TamarindAbout 1 litre · 30 minutes
Mallory Cessair · CC BY-SA 4.0AsiaBeras kencurA creamy jamu of soaked rice and kencur, the Javanese pick-me-up.Tiredness and strengthAppetiteRice · Kencur (aromatic ginger) · GingerAbout 1 litre · 30 minutes, plus 3 hours soaking
Unani medicine
2 recipes
Miansari66 · CC0AsiaGulkand, rose petal preserveRose petals and sugar that ripen together in the sun into a fragrant, sweet paste.Hot daysRose and rose hipA jar of about 300 g · 30 minutes, plus 2–3 weeks ripening
MRG90 · CC BY-SA 4.0AsiaSekanjabin, mint vinegar syrupAn Iranian summer drink: a syrup of honey or sugar and vinegar, with mint, topped up with ice-cold water.Hot daysMintSyrup for about 12 glasses · 30 minutes