Scientific name: Rhizoma Dioscorea
English name: Dried Chinese Yam (Huai Shan)
Chinese name: 淮山, 山藥 (Mandarin: huái shān/ Cantonese: waai4 saan1, Mandarin: shān yào/ Cantonese: saan1 joek6)
What is Huai Shan?
- Huai Shan is a type of Chinese medicinal herb.
- It is a Chinese wild yam that sold in its dried, sliced form. It is also available in its fresh whole form.
- Huai Shan is commonly used in soups. It is one of the ingredients in Ching Bo Leung, which is a mix of herbs popular for detoxification effects.
Are there any health benefits?
- Huai Shan helps invigorates the spleen and stomach-for deficiency in energy with poor appetite, fatigue, loose stools or chronic diarrhea.
- May alleviate frequent urination in pregnant women.
How do I select dried Huai Shan?
- Huai Shan is white, smooth and about ⅛” thick, it is sold loose or packaged.
- Wild Huai Shan is unprocessed, it is slightly yellow and is dried naturally.
How do I prepare it?
Simply boil Huai Shan with other ingredients to make a soup. Here are some savory or sweet soup ideas:
- 黑木耳淮山瘦肉湯-Huai Shan Wood Ear Lean Pork Soup
- 淮山玉竹清燉雞-Huai Shan Odoratum Double Boiled with Clear Chicken Soup
- 淮山玉米花生湯-Huai Shan Corn Peanut Soup
- 淮山響螺補排骨-Huai Shan Conch Pork Rib Soup
- 淮山紅棗雞腳湯-Huai Shan Jujube Chicken Feet Soup
- 淮山雲耳芝麻糊-Huai Shan White Wood Ear Sesame Sweet Soup
- 淮山紅棗元肉湯-Huai Shan Jujube Dried Logan Sweet Soup
- 淮山薏米露-Huai Shan Barley Sweet Porridge
- 雪耳淮山桂花糕-Huai Shan White Wood Ear Chrysanthemum Cake