Food for the Season: Autumn

The following recipe from Northern China is prepared in the autumn to help prevent colds and flu. It comes from Daniel Jiao, my teacher of Herbal Medicine in San Francisco.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized daikon radish
• 1/2 lb Napa cabbage, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
• 6 green onion stalks, sliced/2 leeks
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 lb tofu, cut in squares (optional)
• tamari to taste

The daikon radish is also called luobo in Chinese. It is especially useful in preventing colds and flu. Traditional, it is prohibited in combination with ginseng.

To prepare the dish, sauté ginger and the green onion in oil for two minutes. Add the cabbage and radish. Sauté until a bit soft. Cover the vegetables with water, add the tofu if desired. Bring to a simmer and cook until vegetables are soft (about five minutes). Turn off the heat, and add tamari and cilantro. Enjoy warm!