Mussel and Sea Cucumber Drink

Herbal Tea Name: Mussel and Sea Cucumber Drink

Chinese Name: 淡菜海参饮

Formula

30 grams of mussels, 30 grams of sea cucumber, 20 grams of corn kernels, and cooking wine, chopped scallions, minced ginger, salt, and chicken bouillon to taste.

Main Ingredients

How To Make

Sort and wash the mussels thoroughly, soak them in warm water to rehydrate, blanch them briefly in boiling water, then transfer to a bowl and set aside. Soak the sea cucumber in warm water to rehydrate, wash it, and cut it into small pieces.Rinse the corn thoroughly, place it in a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rehydrated mussels and sea cucumber pieces, bring back to a boil, then stir in the cooking wine, chopped scallions, and minced ginger. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Once the mussels and sea cucumber are tender and the corn is soft, and the broth has thickened, add salt and chicken bouillon, stir to combine, and serve.

Efficacy

Nourishes the liver and kidneys. Suitable for post-stroke sequelae caused by liver and kidney deficiency.

Usage

Take one dose in the morning and one in the evening.

Commentary

Mussels (Dan-cai) hold the chief position in this formula. Sweet, salty-warm in property, it enters the Liver, Kidney meridians, and works to tonify the liver and kidney and enriches essence. Sea cucumber (Hai-shen) joins as the supporting deputy, salty-warm in property, acting through the Kidney, Heart meridians to tonify the kidney, enriches essence and moisten dryness. Corn kernels (Yu-mi-li) add further support, working to tonify the spleen and harmonize the middle. Chopped scallions (Cong-hua) (disperse wind-cold and releases the exterior), joined by minced ginger (disperse cold and stop vomiting), handle subsidiary symptoms and temper the main action. Finally, cooking wine (Liao-jiu) functions as the harmonizing (envoy) ingredient; its role is to move qi, activate blood and remove fishy smell and coordinate the herbs. The overall effect is to nourish the liver and kidneys, restoring balance within the kidney deficiency and liver and kidney framework.

Mussel and Sea Cucumber Drink,From *Proven Tea, Decoction, and Soup Recipes for Common Ailments*,Nourishes the liver and kidneys. Suitable for post-stroke sequelae caused by liver and kidney deficiency.