Spring has arrived, and the ground is covered with fresh wild vegetables. This is the best season of the year to enjoy them. In traditional Chinese medicine, there is a long-held belief that food and medicine share a common origin. Many wild vegetables are not only excellent ingredients but also valuable herbal medicines. Utilizing these unique “natural medicines” of spring can be beneficial to health.
Portulaca Oleracea (Common Purslane)
Portulaca oleracea, commonly known as the “longevity vegetable,” is an annual herbaceous plant that is drought-tolerant and flood-resistant, with strong vitality. It can be found throughout China. The name comes from its flat, thick leaves resembling horse teeth.
Recommended Dish: Portulaca Oleracea Scrambled Eggs
Ingredients: 2 eggs, 500g portulaca oleracea, appropriate amounts of scallion, ginger, garlic, salt, and cooking wine.
Cooking Method: Blanch the trimmed portulaca oleracea in boiling water, then remove and let it cool. Cut into small pieces and mix with beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and cooking wine. Sauté scallions, ginger, and garlic in a hot pan, then add the mixed portulaca oleracea and eggs, stir-fry until set.
Efficacy: Portulaca oleracea is cold in nature and slightly sour in taste, entering the liver and large intestine meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling blood to stop bleeding, and stopping dysentery. It is an effective treatment for dysentery and skin diseases. According to Food Therapy Herbal, it “has a slightly sour taste, is cold in nature, and is slippery and non-toxic. It is used for blindness caused by white cataracts, benefits urination, stops bloody and non-bloody diarrhea, removes cold and fever, kills various parasites, quenches thirst, breaks up tumors and sores… When taken as juice, it promotes bowel movements, expels parasites, and treats dysentery.” Modern research shows that portulaca oleracea contains abundant calcium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin E, vitamin B, vitamin C, and especially high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower cholesterol, help control blood lipids, and improve vascular wall elasticity, benefiting cardiovascular health. However, due to its cold nature, those with a weak spleen and stomach or pregnant women should avoid consumption, as it may cause diarrhea or miscarriage.
Dandelion
Dandelion, also known as “grandmother's daisy” or “dandelion grass,” is a perennial herbaceous plant and a common wild vegetable and medicinal herb found nationwide. It has ornamental value as well as culinary and medicinal uses.
Recommended Dish: Marinated Dandelion
Ingredients: 500g dandelion, appropriate amounts of garlic, Sichuan pepper, dried chili peppers, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, etc.
Cooking Method: Blanch the dandelion after removing old leaves and stems in boiling water for several minutes. Drain and place in a dish. Crush garlic and place on top of the dandelion. Sauté Sichuan pepper and dried chili peppers in hot oil over low heat until fragrant, then remove the pepper and chili peppers. Pour the hot oil over the garlic, then add appropriate amounts of vinegar, soy sauce, and salt, and mix well.
Efficacy: Dandelion is cold in nature and sweet and slightly bitter in taste, entering the liver and stomach meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, dispersing swelling and resolving nodules, and can treat conditions such as heat-toxic abscesses and damp-heat jaundice. According to Herbal Illustrations, “Its juice boiled in water is used to treat breast inflammation in women. Also, crushing it and applying it to sores is very effective. It also treats thorns and fox urine rashes, applying the white juice of the root and stem externally will quickly heal.” According to Newly Revised Materia Medica, it “treats breast inflammation and swelling in women when its juice is drunk and applied externally, and the inflammation quickly subsides.” According to The Materia Medica of Yunnan Province, it “can be applied to various swollen and poisonous sores, scabies, and ringworm, benefits urination, dispels wind, eliminates all types of toxic sores, disperses lymph node swellings, stops hematuria, treats five types of difficult urination, and benefits the bladder.” Modern research finds that dandelion contains dandelion alcohol, choline, organic acids, inulin, and other nutrients, with effects of clearing heat and detoxifying and antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a “natural antibiotic.” In addition, dandelion can unblock the mammary glands and promote lactation. However, due to its cold nature, those with yang deficiency, especially those with a weak spleen and stomach, should not consume too much, as it may damage yang qi and worsen yang deficiency symptoms.
Lungwort (Fish Mint)
Lungwort, also known as “creeping charlock,” is a perennial herbaceous plant named for its fishy smell when crushed. It is widely distributed in central, southeastern, and southwestern provinces of China, growing in shady mountain areas, along forest edges, roadsides, and beside ditches, and is a vegetable commonly enjoyed in southwestern regions.
Recommended Dish: Marinated Lungwort
Ingredients: 500g lungwort, appropriate amounts of chili peppers, soy sauce, Sichuan pepper, salt, etc.
Cooking Method: Soak the trimmed lungwort in cold water for 10 minutes. Cut the dried chili peppers into sections and fry them in slightly heated oil until crispy and fragrant. Pour the chili peppers and oil into a bowl, add the lungwort, and season with salt, soy sauce, and Sichuan pepper. Mix thoroughly.
Efficacy: Lungwort is pungent in taste and cold in nature, entering the lung meridian. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing swelling and treating sores, promoting urination to eliminate dampness, and stopping dysentery. It is mainly used to treat conditions such as enteritis, dysentery, nephritis edema, and breast inflammation, otitis media, etc. According to The Materia Medica of Yunnan Province, lungwort “treats heat toxicity in the large intestine and heals hemorrhoids, curing all five types of hemorrhoids.” However, due to its cold nature, those with a weak constitution and those with cold sores should avoid consuming it.