How to Eat Ginseng for the Best Effect? A Detailed Guide to the Correct Methods
Ginseng has effects such as greatly tonifying vital energy and calming the mind while improving intelligence. Since ancient times it has been praised by Chinese people as an excellent tonic, suitable for winter tonification and spring yang nourishment. The main methods of taking ginseng include decoction, steaming, medicinal tea and medicinal liquor, each with different procedures. Let's take a look below at what ways there are to eat ginseng!
Taken as a Decoction
Wash a whole ginseng root or sliced ginseng and place it in a container, add clean water, soak for 30 minutes first, then cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. Drink once the ginseng liquid has cooled to warm. This medicinal liquid has a high concentration of active ingredients, strong tonic effects and acts quickly, making it suitable for people recovering from a serious illness. However, this method wastes the medicinal material, so it is not advisable to use high-quality, expensive ginseng for it.
Steamed with Water Between Layers
Cut ginseng into slices or small pieces, place in a porcelain bowl, add clean water, cover with a lid, and put the porcelain bowl into a pot with cold water added in advance. Steam over low heat below the pot for about 1 hour (be careful not to boil the water dry). Once warm, drink the ginseng liquid in the bowl. This method allows the ginseng to be steamed repeatedly 3-5 times, and other tonics such as red dates, longan, rock sugar, goji berries and lily bulbs can be added when steaming the ginseng soup.
Brewed as Ginseng Tea
Cut ginseng into thin slices, take about 3 grams each time (about 5—10 slices), place in a thermos, pour in boiling water, cover for about half an hour, and drink it in place of tea. This method can be used to repeatedly brew until the ginseng tea has no taste, and finally the ginseng residue can also be chewed and swallowed. This way of taking it is simple, does not waste the medicinal material, and is suitable for long-term use.
Soaked in Ginseng Liquor
Place a whole ginseng or thinly sliced ginseng into a bottle and soak in 50-60 proof baijiu, taking it daily. It has effects such as dispelling wind and dispersing cold, and invigorating blood and unblocking collaterals, but it is not suitable for people allergic to alcohol or with liver disease. Soaking in liquor is suitable for less expensive parts such as ginseng roots.
Slices Held in the Mouth
Cut ginseng into thin slices, take 2-3 slices each time and hold them in the mouth. Once the slices have a faint taste or no taste, chew and swallow them. They promote fluid production and refresh the mind, and are dry, cool and pleasant-tasting, suitable for healthy people who need tonification to strengthen the body.
Ground into Powder and Swallowed
Grind ginseng into a fine powder and swallow it daily, or grind the ginseng into powder and take it mixed with boiled water. The dosage depends on body constitution, generally 1-1.5 grams each time. This method is mostly used for relatively precious ginseng, such as wild mountain ginseng.
Ginseng Medicinal Dishes
1. Ginseng Rolls
[Ingredients] 1 fresh ginseng root, 1 cucumber, 2 leaves of purple cabbage, 3 dates, 2 chestnuts, 5 pine nuts, an appropriate amount of honey water or sugar water, 1 small spoon of ginseng essence liquid, 1 large spoon of honey.
[Method] First cut the fresh ginseng and cucumber into thin slices and soak them in honey or sugar water to make them moist and glossy. Cut the remaining fresh ginseng, purple cabbage, dates, chestnuts, pine nuts and so on into shreds and set aside. Then mix the honey, ginseng essence liquid and the just-cut shreds together as filling, and wrap it into the fresh ginseng and cucumber slices that have been soaked in honey or sugar water.
2. Braised Ginseng Eel
[Ingredients] 2 eels, 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 2 large spoons of sake (cooking wine), 2 large spoons of white granulated sugar, half an apple, half an onion, 2 green peppers, 1 clove of ginger, 20 grams of tail ginseng root.
[Method] Cut off the head of the eel and remove the bones, then cut the body into slices 5 to 6 cm long and set aside. Take out a large pot, pour in a little water, put the eel bones into it, and braise together with the onion, scallion roots, apple, green pepper, ginger, soy sauce, sake and so on. After about half an hour, put the tail ginseng root in and continue braising until the broth is thick and reduced to half, to use as sauce. Finally, place the eel on a baking tray, coat it well with this sauce and cook it over low heat until done.
3. Stir-fried Ginseng with Shrimp
[Ingredients] 2 fresh ginseng roots, 4 large shrimp, 1/4 onion, 1/4 large pepper, 1/3 yellow pepper, 1 large spoon of salad oil, 1.5 large spoons of soy sauce, 1/2 spoon of glucose syrup, a little refined salt.
[Method] Wash the fresh ginseng and cut into shreds, wash the large shrimp in salt water, and cut the onion and peppers into pieces. Then place a wok over the heat, and once the water in the wok is boiling, add the salad oil and lightly stir-fry the onion and peppers, then add the fresh ginseng, soy sauce, sugar and large shrimp and stir-fry until cooked. Large shrimp are rich in nutrients, and stir-fried ginseng with shrimp is a nutritious dish the whole family can enjoy.
4. Ginseng and Fresh Mushroom Soup
[Ingredients] 2 fresh ginseng roots, 3 each of fresh mushrooms, button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and flower mushrooms, a little goji berries, several large dates, 500 grams of water, 1 large spoon of sesame oil, 2 large spoons of starch water, a little refined salt, an appropriate amount of chicken broth.