Jessica Turner We’re well aware drinking herbal tea has many health benefits, but what about a herbal dinner?
This ancient Chinese recipe doesn’t only make for delicious cool-weather comfort food, it’s believed to have medicinal benefits, too.
According to herbalist Daniel Reid, it relieves fatigue by promoting circulation.
Ingredients: (Serves 4)
- 250g lean meat (pork is the traditional choice but any protein, including tofu, can be used) cut into bite sized pieces
- 2 onions sliced into crescents
- 2 potatoes, cubed small
- 1 carrot, cubed small
- 2 tbs curry powder
- 2 tbs flour
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 litre of stock (any stock is fine, or stock can be substituted with water).
- 4 tbs butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 310g rice
- 15g cinnamon sticks (or if you have access to a Chinese supermarket, or herbalist, use the traditonal cinnamomum cassia)
- 2-3 cups water
- 2 tbs frying oil
Method:
- Bring cinnamon to the boil in 2 cups water.
- Simmer covered until reduced to 1 cup; strain, discard pulp, reserve broth.
- Cook rice!
- Heat butter in wok, add flour and stir well to mix and thicken.
- Add curry powder, stir well.
- Add a little stock, mix then return to boil.
- Add carrots and potatoes then cover and simmer on low heat.
- In a separate pan stirfry meat or tofu quickly in a little oil with garlic. Remove and reserve.
- When carrots and potatoes are almost done, add cinnamon broth, meat, and onions to the pot, return to boil, simmer for a few minutes.
- Serve over the rice.
