From Chapter 2: The Kitchen Clinic
Preparing Chinese Herbs at Home

Entering a traditional Chinese herbal pharmacy today is like walking into a living antique: entire walls of wooden drawers worn to a smooth patina, each one elegantly engraved with the ancient Chinese ideograms denoting what's inside; a long hardwood counter for preparing prescriptions; simple hand-held balance scales and the ubiquitous abacus for weights and calculations; old iron choppers and stone grinders; a few scrolls of calligraphy and landscape painting on the walls; and an exotic potpourri of heady aromas wafting up from bundles of twisted twigs and gnarled roots, shriveled leaves and shrunken flowers, dried scorpions and petrified sea horses, stretched lizards, preserved snakes, and some things that defy description. A visit to a traditional Chinese herbalist is always interesting, often entertaining, and never boring.

The pharmacist's role is to weigh, blend, and dispense the herbal formulas prescribed by the physician and brought in by the patient. The patient then takes the herbs home and prepares them in the kitchen, employing one of the traditional methods discussed below. If the pharmacy is large and sufficiently well staffed, they may be willing to prepare the decoction, pills, capsules, paste, liquor, or whatever the prescription stipulates, for an additional service charge. However, it's more interesting to do it yourself at home, and this is also the best way to quickly gain your own "clinical experience." If you don't know any qualified practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine but would like to try some Chinese herbal remedies, just go to any Chinese pharmacy and ask for an introduction. Some pharmacies have a licensed herbal physician on the premises to perform diagnosis and formulate prescriptions on a walk-in basis, and virtually all herbal pharmacists are themselves qualified to recommend remedies for common ailments and chronic degenerative disorders.

In traditional Chinese homes, the kitchen has always doubled as an herbal clinic—a place where both food and medicine are prepared, sometimes together and sometimes separately, for the health and longevity of the entire family. The preparation of popular herbal potions has always been common knowledge in traditional Chinese societies. In the kitchen clinic, one quickly learns which herbs work best for certain conditions, which foods to combine or avoid combining with particular herbs, how to properly prepare simple formulas, when to take them, and other practical points. In this way, you gradually gain a working knowledge that allows you to handle many common health problems at home, and preventive health care soon becomes a way of life.

The only things you need in order to convert your own kitchen into an herbal clinic are the following:

stovetop-safe Pyrex glass or ceramic cooking vessels with lids; a scale; measuring cup; airtight storage containers; a sieve; cheesecloth; a stove, preferably gas; pure water, either bottled, filtered, or distilled; "00"-size gelatin capsules; honey; and, if you want to prepare tonic herbal liquors, distilled spirits such as vodka, rum, or brandy.

The most popular methods of preparing Chinese herbs and formulas at home are briefly described below. These methods can be used for single herbs and simple combinations, as well as complex formulas.

Unless otherwise stated, the dosages given for the herbs and formulas in this book are sufficient for 1 day's use. A typical course of treatment with Chinese herbs continues for 7–10 days, unless otherwise specified by the physician or herbalist. If you don't get positive results after 1 week, try another herb or formula recommended for the same symptoms.

METHODS OF PREPARING CHINESE HERBS

DECOCTION (tang)
Known as "broth" in Chinese, decoction is the oldest and most traditional way of preparing medicinal herbs for use at home, although pills, capsules, and concentrates are becoming increasingly popular for their convenience. The main advantages of decoction are thorough extraction of the herbs' complete medicinal potential, rapid absorption, and swift onset of therapeutic effects, all of which are desirable qualities in acute conditions. The only real disadvantage is that it's somewhat time-consuming for those who live in the fast lane.

Measure out and place the herb(s) inside a clean Pyrex glass pot (of the stovetop-safe variety) or ceramic cooking vessel (never use metal), then add 3–4 cups of pure water. If you've had a formula blended for you at a pharmacy, each day's dose will be individually wrapped, one packet per day prescribed (e.g., ten packets for a 10-day course), so all you need to do is empty one packet into the vessel with the water to prepare 1 day's dose.

Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and let it continue boiling slowly until the broth is reduced to 1/3–1/2 of its original volume, or about 1–2 cups. Strain it through a cloth-lined sieve and reserve the broth. Add two more cups of fresh water to the dregs, boil again, reduce to 1 cup, strain, and add this to the first portion, discarding the dregs. Divide the broth into two or three equal portions, according to the prescription, and drink it warm, between meals, on an empty stomach for rapid assimilation. It's a good idea to keep the second and third doses in the refrigerator, then warm them up on the stove (not in a microwave) prior to ingestion.

Steam Decoction: Another version of this method is to use what's known as a ginseng cooker, which consists of a small ceramic bowl with a lid, into which the herb or herb mixture is placed along with only 2—3 ounces of pure water. This vessel is then covered tightly and set on a rack inside a larger pot (metal can be used for the external vessel) with water in it, and is steamed for several hours; additional water is added to the steamer as needed. This method is best when preparing single or simple combinations of potent tonic herbs, such as old ginseng, but it is not suitable for complex formulas. It yields a very pure, potent, fast-acting extract known as medicinal dew (yao lu) .

POWDERS (san)
Most herbal pharmacies and supply houses will grind individual herbs and blended formulas into a fine powder if you request this when ordering. Alternatively, you can use an electric coffee grinder or food processor to powder most herbs in your own kitchen. Powdered herbs act more slowly and gently than decoctions, and due to gradual absorption, their effects are less intense but last longer. These traits are most suitable for chronic conditions requiring long-term therapy.

The simplest way to use powders is to spoon the required dose directly into your mouth and chase it down with warm water or warm wine; Japanese sake is very good for this purpose. If the taste or texture of powdered herbs bothers your palate, you can use the powder to make infusions, capsules, pastes, or pills.

Infusions (cha): Place the specified dose of powder (usually about 3–5 grams) in a cup and add boiling water, letting it steep 3–5 minutes. Drink this "herbal tea," preferably on an empty stomach, two or three times per day.

Capsules (jiao niang) : The simple gelatin capsule is probably the single most useful modern invention for traditional herbal medicine. It permits easy administration of bitter and pungent herbs whose taste makes decoctions and infusions hard to swallow. It also facilitates long-term storage of prepared powder formulas, insures precise dosage, and provides a convenient way of taking herbal remedies "on the run" and "on the road."

Ask the pharmacist to grind the herbs to a superfine powder and encapsulate it in "00"-size gelatin capsules, which hold about 1 gram each, or do this yourself at home. Take two capsules three times daily, or three capsules twice a day, preferably with warm water or wine on an empty stomach. If the herbs upset your empty stomach, take the capsules about half an hour after meals. To make an infusion, empty the contents of three capsules into a cup and add boiling water.

Pastes (gao): Place the finely powdered herbs inside a large glass or ceramic bowl and stir in just enough honey to form a thick paste that has a consistency similar to peanut butter or bread dough. Eat 1 full teaspoon two or three times daily, or as prescribed, preferably on an empty stomach, and then drink a cup of warm water or wine. Keep the paste in the refrigerator.

Pills (wan): Prepare a honey paste with the powdered herbs and then use your thumb and index finger to roll small pills. The size varies from buckshot pellets to large beans, depending on the formula. Place the pills on a baking sheet and set in the oven at the lowest possible temperature for 10–15 minutes, or just until the honey forms a glaze. Let the pills cool thoroughly before storing them in an airtight container; refrigeration is not required. Depending on the formula and size of pill, one dose usually consists of about five to fifteen pills, to be taken two or three times daily on an empty stomach (unless otherwise specified) with warm water or wine.

Pills can also be made with other bases, including flour paste, plain water, beeswax, and fermented dough, but these are more complicated and should only be prepared by trained herbalists. For home use, honey is the simplest and most reliable base.

OINTMENTS (yio)
Herbal ointments are made by blending finely powdered herbs into an oil base for external use. Tiger Balm is probably the most widely recognized Chinese herbal ointment in the world, but there are many others. Popular bases include yellow petroleum jelly, beeswax, lard, lanolin, black sesame oil, and almond oil. Heat the base until warm, then add the powdered herbs and stir well.

Store in small jars with airtight lids. Refrigeration is not required.

HERBAL LIQUORS (yao jiou)
Steeping medicinal herbs in strong distilled spirits for three months to a year yields a potent herbal liquor that fully extracts the essences and energies of the ingredients and passes them swiftly into the bloodstream for rapid results. This is an ancient and effective method for drawing out the full potency of herbal formulas, particularly tonics, and it remains a popular way of using tonics throughout the Far East today. It's also a very economical way of using the more expensive tonic herbs, such as very old ginseng and tender young deer horn.

Proportions vary according to the properties of the herb used as well as personal taste. Generally about 60–120 grams of herbs are used per liter of distilled spirits. For long-term use, it's more efficient to prepare larger batches, such as the six-plus-three-bottle formulas given in this book, which yield nine bottles. Any distilled liquors can be used, but we recommend vodka, rum, or brandy as the best choices.

Buy the bulk herbs chopped or broken into pieces, but not powdered, and place them all inside a large, clean vessel of glass or ceramic. Pour six 1-liter bottles of vodka or other spirits over the herbs and make an airtight seal, then set the jug aside to steep for at least 3 months, shaking it well once in a while. The longer you age this herbal liquor, the stronger it gets and the better. it tastes.

After 3 or more months, open the vessel and pour half the brew through a cloth filter and funnel the filtered brew into clean liquor bottles. Add three more bottles of fresh spirits to the herbs in the vessel, reseal it, and steep it for another 3–6 months, after which you can strain the entire batch and discard the spent herbs. Total yield is about nine bottles, which should be stored in individual liquor bottles with tight corks or caps. Add a bit of raw sugar or honey, or rock crystallized sugar, to each bottle to enhance the flavor and facilitate rapid absorption and metabolism. The bottles can be stored indefinitely, unrefrigerated, without losing their potency, as long as they are properly sealed.

Single-herb liquors can also be prepared by the bottle simply by putting 75–100 grams of the herb (such as ginseng, angelica, wolfberry, or deer horn) into a bottle of vodka, rum, or brandy, then sealing it and letting it steep for 3–6 months. Some people like to keep half a dozen different varieties of herbal liquor "on tap" at home at all times.

A standard dose of herbal liquor ranges from 1–2 fluid ounces, depending on your individual constitution, the season, and the particular purpose for which you are using it. Use a bit more in winter and cold climates, and less during summer and in tropical climates. Take a larger amount for more immediate and dramatic effects, less for gradual tonification during long-term use.

For maximum benefits and rapid assimilation, it's best to take herbal liquors on an empty stomach, twice a day. Our favorite times are about 1 hour before dinner, when it sharpens the appetite, and an hour before going to bed at night, when it warms the body and promotes sound sleep. On very cold winter mornings, taking a dose as soon as you get out of bed may "warm up your motor." If you find the taste too strong, simply add an equal measure of plain warm water. If you are sensitive to alcohol, pour some boiling water onto a dose and let it steep for a few minutes; this will evaporate most of the alcohol without losing any of the herbal essence.

HERBAL PORRIDGES (yao iou)
This is a traditional and typically practical Chinese way of blending food and medicine, though it is not well known in the West. Herbal porridges are usually prepared in a base of brown rice, Job's Tears, barley, or millet and served for breakfast, though they can be eaten any time of day or night as a convenient herbal snack. They turn food into medicine and transform medicine into palatable food.

To make an herbal porridge, first wash the whole grain(s) well in running water, drain, then soak them for an hour or two in pure water (see individual recipe for the quantity of water required). Add a pinch of sea salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the herbs, and simmer for an hour or two, adding water as needed to maintain a porridge consistency. Boil the grain until it is thoroughly cooked and the porridge is thick. It should be eaten hot, either plain, sweetened with honey, or seasoned with a small amount of Chinese sesame oil, sea salt, and chopped scallions. You can keep the porridge warm on the stove and snack on it throughout the day, but leftovers should not be kept for the next day.

HERBAL POULTICES (fu yao)
Poultices are made by mixing powdered herbs with water to form a thick paste for external application. The paste is spread thickly onto a square of cellophane or wax paper, which is placed over the injured area and taped securely to the skin. Keep it taped in place for 12–24 hours and replace as needed for up to a week of daily therapy. Chinese herbal poultices relieve pain and repair physical damage to joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones; they have tremendous potential applications in athletic injuries and modern sports medicine. Fresh herbal poultices made at home immediately prior to application are much stronger and more effective than the factory-prepared patches available at herb shops. However, people with hypersensitive skin must be careful when using fresh poultices because the potent vapors can irritate sensitive skin as it enters the tissues below, leaving a rash.

HERBAL PILLOWS (yao jen)
Most people spend about one-third of their lives lying asleep in bed, and herbal pillows permit this time to be effectively used for herbal therapy. The dried herbs are stuffed into a small cotton pillowcase, which is then sewn closed. The heat from your head warms up the herbs inside the pillow, releasing their aromatic vapors and essential energies, which rise up through the cloth and enter your system with every breath. It's best to use a small, well-stuffed pillow in order to prevent the herbs from bunching together; this also saves money on herbs. Depending on the sort of herbs inside, an herbal pillow can be used for 6 months up to a year or two before replacing the herbs. You'll know the herbs are spent when the pillow is no longer aromatic in the morning.