Traditional Chinese Medicine - Chinese Herbs : Postnatal Food Series - Traditional Chinese Recipes after childbirth

These traditional Chinese recipes are popular as they are believed to help nursing mothers improve their milk flow as well as volume.

Pig's Trotters and Groundnut Soup or Porridge

Ingredients : One pair of pig's trotters, 200 g fresh groundnuts, one spoonful of Chinese vinegar.

1. Clean and split the trotters.
2. Boil and simmer with groundnuts in water.
3. Add a pinch of salt and vinegar.
4. Cook until it becomes soft.
5. Rice can be added to make porridge.

Fish and Papaya Soup

Ingredients : 200 g green [unripe) papaya, fish bones or a whole fish [e.g. carp, snakehead, sea bream, pomfret and kurau or threadfin), slices of ginger. In order not to waste the fish meat, use the bones, head or tail.

1. Scale and clean the fish.
2. Simmer together with pieces of papaya and ginger for 1-2 hours or until it becomes soft.
3. Remove the bones from the fish before serving it. You are supposed to take it consecutively for three days.

Black Sesame Seed or Rice Pudding or Porridge

Ingredients : 200 g black sesame seeds, 30 g rice, rock sugar

1. Blend soaked rice and sesame seeds into paste.
2. Combine with water and cook it into a thin gruel.

1. Cook the rice porridge.
2. Blend sesame seeds and add to the rice.
3. Add rock sugar to taste.

Kidney Fried with Lily Flower

Ingredients : 200 g pig's kidney (clean and sliced), 20 g dried lily flower ("golden needles"), a few slices of ginger, vegetable oil, dash of rice wine

1. Stir-fry kidney slices in oil with the ginger.
2. Add lily flower and seasoning to enhance taste.

Haui san and Groundnut Porridge

Ingredients : 20 g fresh groundnuts, 30 g unmilled rice, 5 g huai san (optional)

1. Cook ingredients together as in rice porridge.
2. Meat bones can be added for extra flavour.

Lettuce with Rice Wine

Ingredients : 200 g lettuce leaves, 30-50 cc Chinese rice wine, meat stock

1. Cook lettuce briefly in a little soup.
2. Add salt and rice wine. Ensure that the wine is cooked until all the alcohol has evaporated.
3. Eat both soup and lettuce.

Longan and Red Date Tea

Ingredients : 10 pieces of dried longan flesh, 20-40 dried red dates (with the seeds removed), an optional ingredient of 4-5 g of tan kwei(angelica sihensis)

1. Boil and simmer ingredients in 6-8 cups of water for 45 minutes to one hour until the liquid is fragrant and tasty.
2. Drink throughout the day.

INDIAN AND MALAY DIET TO ENHANCE BREAST MILK PRODUCTION

Fish Curry
Ingredients : 500 g baby shark meat or flower crabs, 2-3 tomatoes, 1 tsp fennel seed (ground), curry powder (add to taste), salt, pepper, 1-2 bowls of asam water, 2 large onions (chopped)

1. Add oil into a pot or wok.
2. Add onions and curry powder.
3. Stir and add fish or flower crab into the pot.
4. Add fennel seed and asam water.
5. Add tomatoes and salt
6. Seasons to taste
7. Served with boiled rice

Chicken Soup for Strength (to reduce wind and enhance energy)

Ingredients : 1 young kampong chicken(bones only), 1 pc ginger, 1 onion, grind together: 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1.2 tsp black pepper seeds and 1/4 tsp tumeric powder

1. Place grinded ingredients in muslin cloth, tie up into a ball and boil together with chicken bones for 1 hour.
2. Boil with 1 clove, 1 stick cinnamon, 1 tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt to taste.

Chicken Curry for Milk Production

Ingredients : 1 young kampong chicken -- meat only (reserve bones for soup), 1 tbsp fennel seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1tsp black pepper seeds, 1/2 tsp tumeric powder, 3 cloves garlic, 1 pc ginger, 1 tomato (diced), 1 onion (cut finely), 1 clove, 1 stick cinnamon, 1 cupwater, 3 tbsp gingerly oil (used to prevent constipation)

1. Fry ground ingredients in oil.
2. Add onion, clove and cinnamon, add chicken and fry gently to seal juices.
3. Add 1 cup of water and cook till boiling, then simmer for 45 minutes
4. Add tomato half way through cooking
5. Add salt to taste.

The ancient Chinese believe that pregnant women are weakened by their condition. As such, in the past, herbs are often to strengthen the health of the mother as well as that of their foetuses. The following Chinese herbs can be taken on its own or in combination. However, it is just an option and always consume them in small amounts or in moderation. Anything excessive is harmful to you and your baby.

Ham San This herb is believed to help cleanse your kidneys, liver and other organs.

Gou Qi Zi This is especially good for the eyesight and helps to maintain the liver and kidneys in working order.

Dried Red Dates/Black Dates They are believed to improve energy, are rich in iron and can be used to calm the mind. They are often added to other herbs to reduce the medicinal smell and taste.

Dried Longan This is supposed to help improve blood circulation, improve heart efficiency and reduce stress and tension.

Bird's Nest Bird's nest is believed to ease coughing and improve your complexion. However,due to the impurities found in it, it is not advisable for young children as it may bring on asthmatic attacks.

THE GINSENG FAMILY Herbs from the ginseng family are usually taken one to two weeks after delivery.

Boo San This herb is supposed to remove "heatiness" from your body. It also rehydrates and eases thirst. Your qi is restored and yin sustained from taking this herb. Some users have even claimed that it improves one's intelligence quotient.

Dang Sen This herb helps to maintain a healthy level of iron in the body.

Tong Cong Chao The function of the kidneys is improved after taking this herb. It also helps to improve and strengthen the yang, reduce breathlessness, cleanse the lungs and stop internal bleeding.

Dang Gui This is one of the more popular herbs and it supposedly contains calcium and helps to improve your blood circulation. It can also help to stimulate new cells and is often used to ease menstrual cramps. It is used to aid digestion and bowel function, too.