Chinese cuisine(烹饪) is widely known and enjoyed all around the world. Who doesn't1a favorite Chinese dish? But there is one interesting 2 concerning Chinese food which is almost unheard-of in the West, and 3 ignored by the youth of the East — the ancient custom of "tonic (滋补) food".
Tonic food is food consumed to improve one's well-being or4 sickness. 5 , it was once the 6 for new mother to eat a sesame-oil(麻油) hotpot every day for the first month after giving 7. It was believed that this dish would 8 the muscles, reduce pain, improve circulations, stimulate sweating and 9 the body.
Some food are 10 as "hot", such as goat meat and coriander (香菜), while others, such as Chinese cabbage and radish (小萝卜) are "cold". One should be 11 not to eat too much "hot" or "cold" food. 12 , how much "hot" or "cold" food one should eat 13 the time of the year, how the food is prepared and what it is prepared 14 , and the individual's 15 .
The custom of employing tonic food for a healthier life also 16 the catering (餐饮) industry. Some Chinese herbal medicines can often be found on many a restaurant 17. Whether you need to 18 yourself to boost your energy with a large helping of chicken soup or increase your 19 power with a serving of pig's brain soup, you may find that this ancient Chinese custom could be 20 the tonic you are looking for.
