Steamed Eggplant, liang ban qie zi

Ingredients

-Chinese eggplant ( not American - the
skin is too thick)

-Chopped cilantro

-Chopped garlic

-Chopped green onions

-Red pepper flakes

-Soy sauce

-Sushi vinegar
-Sugar (if using regular rice vinegar, or optional)

-Salt (if using less soy sauce)

TCM Properties

Eggplant - sweet, cooling, clears heat, moves blood

stops bleeding, reduces swelling. But once steamed, it 

is more neutral

1. Steam eggplant until soft, about 15-20min

2. Peal open eggplants with fork
 ("Mom, is this how you always make it?
Well,  sometimes I use chopsticks" ...I was referring to the method of  preparation).

3. Add chopped cilantro and garlic

4. Heat up a little oil, add red pepper flakes and green onions, just for a moment until fragrant

5. Turn off heat, and add soy sauce, sushi vinegar, 
and sugar (optional) to dissolve.

6. Pour oil/sauce over eggplant, mix, let sit for a few minutes
before serving

Dry-fried green beans, Gan bian si ji dou

Ingredients:

-Frozen (or fresh) string beans

-Finely chopped ginger and garlic

-Ground beef or chopped mushrooms

-Soy sauce, sugar

-Sake (if using meat)

-Chopped green onions (optional)

TCM food properties:

Green beans  - sweet and neutral, strengthens qi and blood

1.     Stir fry the frozen green beans until lightly browned

2. Add oil to green beans and continue to cook until lightly burned. Set aside 

3. Add oil to wok. Stir fry garlic, ginger, and beef/or mushrooms, a little soy sauce, a little sugar, and a little sake (if with beef). Mix until cooked through. 

4. Add green beans and mix well

Daikon Rice Cake, luo buo gao

Ingredients: 

• 3lbs daikon radish
• 4c. Liquid (any combo of stock and water)
• 1package (1lb) rice flour
• Shitake mushrooms
• Dried shrimp (xia mi), soaked
• Cilantro
• Ginger
• ~1/3c Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

TCM Properties of main ingredients:

Daikon – pungent sweet cold, LU, LI

-When cooked, harmonizes the MJ, promotes digestion, opens the chest, descends qi

Rice – sweet, neutral, SP, ST

-Strengthens SP and ST, generates and preserves body

Directions:

1. Grate the daikon by hand or with a food processor

2. Cook the daikon in 1.5c of liquid, ginger, and salt/pepper.  Cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Taste should be just over salted.

3. Meanwhile, lightly stir-fry the shrimps and shitake mushrooms, just until fragrant

4. Stir the rice flour with the remaining 2.5c of liquid. Stir in one direction.

5. Add in the cilantro, shrimp, mushrooms, and oil

6. Add the daikon mixture to the flour mixture. Stir well, until it feels sticky.

7. Pour into an oiled container and steam until firm, or until chopstick comes up relatively clean

8. Eat steamed, or pan-fry to brown sides. Serve with your favorite sauce.