Congees
Yam and Pinellia Porridge,
Yam and Pinellia Porridge, originally named "Shu Yu Ban Xia Zhou," is a classic medicinal porridge from the renowned modern Chinese medicine practitioner Zhang Xichun's Records of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in Combination. Zhang Xichun, a master of traditional Chinese medicine in the late Qing and early Republic period, created this formula to address the challenge of "continuous vomiting, where even the smell of medicine induces more vomiting, making it impossible to take any medication". It ingeniously combines yam, which strengthens the spleen and lungs, with pinellia, which dries dampness and transforms phlegm. The porridge's viscous nature helps the medicinal properties linger in the stomach. With a smooth, delicate texture and almost no medicinal taste, it is especially suitable for nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by spleen-stomach deficiency and internal dampness-phlegm. Preparation takes about 40-60 minutes.
Main Ingredients
- Raw Chinese yam 60g
- Prepared Pinellia tuber (Ban Xia) 30g
- Japonica rice 200g
- White sugar to taste
- Dried tangerine peel 5g
- Fresh ginger 2-3 slices
- Persimmon frost to taste
- Water as needed
Steps
Fa Ban Xia 15g, fresh yam 200g (peeled and diced), dried tangerine peel 5g, japonica rice 200g.
Fa Ban Xia 15g, fresh yam 200g (peeled and diced), dried tangerine peel 5g, japonica rice 200g.
Strain out the solids, then add the liquid, japonica rice, and diced yam to the pot. Add enough water and cook until the porridge is done.
TCM Notes
Chinese yam: Sweet in taste, neutral in nature, acts on the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney meridians. Rich in mucilage, diastase, polyphenol oxidase, and various trace elements. Known to tonify the spleen, nourish the stomach, promote fluid production, moisten the lungs, and consolidate the kidneys. Pinellia tuber (Ban Xia) : Pungent in taste, warm in nature, acts on the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung meridians. A key herb for drying dampness, transforming phlegm, and descending rebellious stomach qi to stop vomiting. Note: Raw pinellia is toxic. Only processed "Qing Ban Xia" or "Fa Ban Xia" should be used in food, and it must be decocted for a sufficient time to reduce toxicity. Japonica rice: Tonifies the middle and harmonizes the stomach, creating a thick porridge that helps retain the medicinal effects in the stomach. Synergistic effect: Yam tonifies the spleen, lungs, and kidneys, counteracting the drying nature of pinellia. Pinellia dries dampness, transforms phlegm, and stops vomiting by descending stomach qi. Together, they achieve the effects of drying dampness, transforming phlegm, descending stomach qi to stop vomiting, and strengthening the spleen and stomach.
Suitable for：Those with spleen-stomach deficiency, exuberant dampness-phlegm, and rebellious stomach qi Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, abdominal fullness, poor appetite, bland taste without thirst, excessive phlegm, and fatigue Pale tongue with greasy coating, and a deep, slow or slippery pulse Special note: This porridge was originally created for those who "cannot take any other medication due to severe vomiting", making it especially suitable for those with severe vomiting and difficulty taking medicine
Not suitable for：Pregnant women: Contraindicated Children: Not recommended Those with constipation: Not recommended Those with excess heat or yin deficiency with fire excess: Symptoms include dry mouth, thirst, red tongue with little coating, etc. Those allergic to yam or pinellia Those using unprepared raw pinellia: Toxic, strictly prohibited
