Cooking Well, Healthy Chinese

by: Renxiang, Wang, David W., and Brielyn, Jo Wang

Hobart NY: hatherleigh press (their capitalization) 2013, $12.50, Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-57826-428-5

Reviewed by: Jacqueline M. Newman
Winter Volume: 2016 Issue: 23(4) page(s): 18

Subtitled: Over 125 Easy and Delicious Recipes, this book is about the history of Chinese cuisine, its staples, their health benefits, cooking and dining tips, and basic recipes. These and a page about yin and yang health concepts, there is little other health information. The volume ends with several do’s and don’t about eating, and recipes of rice and noodles, appetizers, side dishes, soups, meat, poultry, seafood, and tofu entrees, medicinal foods, and desserts. The medicinal ones have up to half-page each, and all are not about Chinese health beliefs. Read about a few culinary information items, not much that is medicinal, and recipe advice including that it is a warming and comforting porridge for a new mother; and not much more.

The recipe that follows is as given, and is similar to all in this volume.

Lamb with Ginseng Porridge
Ingredients:
½ pound lamb fillet cut into small pieces
1 cup raw rice
2 ounces ginseng root
4 slices fresh ginger
2 teaspoons goji berries (wolfberries)
20 dried red pitted dates
pinch salt and pepper powder or black pepper powder
Preparation:
1. Boil the lamb pieces.
2. Rinse and soak the rice for thirty minutes.
3. Boil 6 cups water in a large pot or saucepan.
4. Add lamb, ginseng, and ginger.
5. Simmer on low-medium heat for one hour.
6. Add rice and simmer for thirty minutes.
7. Add goji berries and red dates. Simmer for another thirty minutes.
8. Add salt and pepper powder before serving.

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