Chicken Mushroom Soup (serving: 4)

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon of thyme leaves
600g mushrooms (assorted), sliced
7 cups of chicken stock
½ cup thickened cream

Method
1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat
2. Add onion, garlic and thyme, cook, and stir for about 5 minutes (till the onion is soft)
3. Increase heat to high, add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Add the 5 cups of chicken stock and bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium and stir occasionally for about 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the cream.
7. Season it with salt and pepper, add the remaining chicken stock, and cook over medium-low heat until warmed through.
8. Sour is ready to be served

The Agaricus Blazel Muril Mushroom

A friend had brought me to an immunology Seminar.  It makes me understand that It is not necessary to spend bucks of money to enhance the body immune system.  Take for example; Ling Zhi is well-known for regulating and activating the immune system.  It prominently enhances the body immune function and increase self dense capability.  However, Ling Zhi can be quite costly.  From the seminar, It was said that other types of Mushroom can be as good as Ling Zhi.

Currently, mushrooms like Agaricus Blazei Murill are a focal point of attention because they are regarded as the new health boosters. Oriental medicine has used various species of mushroom for over a thousand years. Chinese medicine, which has now adopted some western methods of treatment, has developed processes for extracting the active ingredients from the mushroom. These substances are used as immunological activators, as the polysacharide ß-glucan that is contained in Agaricus Blazei Murill is able to enhance the immune system.

In 1980, at a general convention of the Japan Cancer Association, it was mentioned that although many fungi polysaccharide only effect solid cancer and polysaccharide of Agaricus Blazei Murill is effective against Ehrlich’s ascites carcinoma sigmoid colonic cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and liver cancer as well as solid cancer.

Agaricus Blazei Murill Mushroom was found to contain a higher levels of beta glucans compared to Maitake, Shiitake, and Reishi. Currently Agaricus Blazei Murill is considered as one of the most potent mushroom in supporting the immune system and in controlling various diseases.
The digestive enzymes contained in fungus also able to enhance digestion.

Cancer develops because of weakening of the immune system through aging and other factors. This could be one of the reasons why attention is focusing more and more on Agaricus Blazei Murill as the mushroom contains large quantities of polysaccharides, which have been attributed an immunity enhancing effect. In addition, it reduces hyper-reaction of the immune system and thus contributes to establishing an equilibrium in the system as a whole.


Basic Information of ABC Mushroom

Originated from Piedade, suburbs of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Climatic conditions:  35-38 degree during day and 20-25 degree during night, with the humidity that averages 80%

帝皇炖鸡汤 Emperor Chicken

Ingredients

1 piece of aluminum foil(enough to wrap a chicken)
1 spring chicken
10g Bei Qi
5g Dang Gui
15g Yu Zhu
15g Huai Shan
4g Chuan Xiong
20g Gou Ji
15g Dang Shang
1g Gan Cao
3 small bowl of water
a pinch of salt

Method:

1.  Wash the chicken. Do not cut. Wrap it with the aluminum foil.  Leave an opening so that other ingredients can be put in through this opening.
2.  Wash all ingredients.  
3.  Put the ingredients in a pot, add 2 small bowl of water, bring to boil.  Pour it into the aluminum foil wrap with chicken. Add another 1 small bowl of water and a pinch of salt to it.  Close up the opening.
4.  Put the wrapped chicken into steamer to steam for 45mins - 1hour at low fire.

移山人参鸡汤 YiShen ginseng chicken soup

INGREDIENTS

1 fowl  母鸡
20g Yi Shan Ren Shen 移山人参 
30g Xiang Lian 湘莲
20g Mi Zao 蜜枣
5g Dang Gui 当归
5g Chuan xiong 川芎
20g Fu Ling Pian 茯苓片
20g Gou Qi Zhi 构杞子
1g Gan Cao 甘草

METHODS

1.  Wash and clean the fowl, optional to chop the fowl into pieces. 
2.  Put all ingredients (except the fowl) into a pot with 1.5 litres of water, bring it to boil, after which, pour it into a slow cooker.
3.  Add the fowl into the slow cooker, heat for 1.5hr to 2hr under low to medium temperature. 
4.  Add a little salt to taste before serving.

Cooling Pears and White Fungus

INGREDIENTS

25g white fungus
2 green-skinned chinese fragrant pears
1.5 litres water
80g rock sugar
15 red dates

METHODS

1.  Rinse the white fungus under running water.  Soak it in a bowl of water for 1 hour.  Use a pair of scissors to trim off the hard yellow-orange parts at the bottom and separate the frilly head of fungus into bite-size pieces.

2.  Skin the pears.  Cut them into wedges.  Set aside.

3.  Bring the water to boil in a pot.  Add rock sugar, turn the heat to medium.

4.  Add the white fungus, pears, dates when the rock sugar dissolved.  Simmer over medium-low heat for 45mins. Pears are done when a sharp knife is able to go through them easily.

5.  Cool the drink in the refrigerator for better taste.