Neil Kingham

Cinnamon is one of the most useful culinary herbs for warming and stimulating the Yang. It is used to improve circulation, dispel Cold and relieve chills and also to strengthen the Qi in cases of exhaustion and debility.

It can be used regularly by those with poor circulation, cold hands and feet and weakness or fatigue. By strengthening the Yang it improves weak digestive systems and clear Dampness, and can help to treat frequent urination, loose stools and lack of libido.

A tea made by boiling a cinnamon stick in water, taken hot will promote sweating and help to prevent or ward off a cold.

It also helps to enhance the effect of other Qi and Blood tonifying herbs or ingreidients when they are used together. Thus, cinnamon is often added to traditional tonic herbal formulas.

Use cinnamon in cooking to benefit from its strengthening and warming qualities. Porridge with a little cinnamon is a warming, strengthening way to start a winter morning. It has the effect of strengthening both the Blood and Qi.

CAUTION: Cinnamon should be avoided by Hot natured people (hot hands and feet, red cheeks, etc) and during pregnancy or breast-feeding.

This is a soup to strengthen the knees and back.

Chronic weakness, pain or slow healing of the knees and/or lower back can be related to the Kidneys in Chinese Medicine. This soup recipe contains ingredients traditionally used to strengthen the Kidneys, and reinforce the knees and back. It also helps to circulate Qi and Blood, and is high in silicon which is essential for the strength of the bones and connective tissues.

This soup can be used to aid healing after an injury or surgery, or to maintain health of the lower back and knees.

1pt ‘real’ chicken stock, made from broken chicken bones
2 small handfuls pearl barley or yi yi ren
2 small handfuls black beans (cooked)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 sticks celery
1 large carrot
Black pepper
Dash of shaoshing rice wine

Note on ingredients: Yi Yi Ren is also known as coix or Chinese barley, and can be cooked in the same way as pearl barley. It is used in Chinese herbalism for clearing dampness, especially when this relates to joint pain. Shaoshing rice wine is a Chinese wine commonly used in cooking. Both are available from Chinese supermarkets.

Directions:

Simmer the barley or yi yi ren and celery in the stock for 45 minutes. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook for 10 minutes more, then add the carrot and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until all ingredients are cooked. Add the cooked beans, a dash of rice wine and a good amount of black pepper. Cook for another couple of minutes, then serve.

Serves 2.

This soup will also freeze well.

Year Of The Tiger:

Feb 14th is Chinese New Year, and we are entering the volatile, unpredictable and dynamic Year of the Tiger. You may think that 2009 had its upheavals, but the Chinese Zodiac perdicts more of the same for 2010.

In the year of the tiger we can expect to see extremes. This is certainly not a quiet year! There will be volatility and big changes. While this can mean disputes and disasters it can also be a cleansing time, allowing for renewal and positive changes. And extremes of bad luck and problems are balanced by extremes of good luck and success.

If the force and vigour of the tiger can be channeled into positive actions and projects, much can be achieved. People born under the signs of Tiger, Horse, Rooster or Dog can expect the most favourable year of all the Chinese signs.

Celebrating Chinese Year:

Before the new year arrives, it is traditional to clean the house, to ‘sweep away’ the bad luck that may have accumulated during the previous year. Then, once the new year has started, avoid cleaning for a few days so you don’t ‘sweep out‘ the good luck!

Red is considered a lucky colour – decorate your home with red candles, ornaments, drapes, and decorations, and wear red clothes.

An old tradition involves getting the family together on new year’s eve to make dumplings together. If you don’t know how to make Chinese dumplings, get the family together anyway, and cook and eat something something else together!

Tangerines and Oranges, which represent good luck, are often served at New Years Eve.

On New Year’s day, children are given red envelopes with money in, which again symbolizes good luck. The red envelopes with lucky characters on can be purchased from all manner of oriental shops at this time of year. The amount inside need not be large, but should consist of new notes, with the total being an even amount. As the number 4 is unlucky, the total amount should not have a ’4′ in it.

“Gong Xi Fa Cai” – (Congratulations and Prosperity!)