Stir Fried Gingko Nuts and Shrimps

It is cold and wintery in Melbourne.  Temperatures has been fluctuating by the hour at times, and seasonal asthma, cough and wheezing are on the rise.  Few friends have already asked me if I could teach them some food they could eat that may help to relieve some symptoms such as feeling of cold in the chest and reduces sniffling throughout the day.  So here is a simple recipe I came up with.

 

Generally you can find ginkgo nuts in Asian food stores.  They are normally packaged in tin, vacuum sealed pack, not shelled and dried as whole.

For this recipe I would you use the prepackage ginkgo nuts.  You can find them in the cool room or the freezer section.  For a stronger taste of the ginkgo nuts then I would suggest the one with the shell still intact.

Directions to peel the ginkgo nuts.  First is to remove the shell.  They are not hard and thick.  Therefore you do not need to use excessive force to crack it open.  Simply use a jar and lightly tap them.  May take a few to practise if you have not done it before.

Then soaked them in hot-warm water to loosen up the membrane thin husk.  If you wish to have extra fiber, then just leave the husk and cook with it.  The membrane has a unique property because it can counteract some toxicity from the ginkgo nuts.

Please Note:

DO NOT give children more than 8 ginkgo nuts to ingest in one sitting.

Adults are not to take more than 15-20 nuts in one sitting.

Pregnant women must not take more than 10 in one meal and should only eat as directed by your local TCM practitioner.  Excess of ingestion will cause uterine contraction.

75g Gingko Nuts – Shelled and skinned

400g of medium shrimps or prawns – blanched in hot water for 2 mins or prawns become curled and coral pink.

1 small zucchini – halved and sliced

3-4 slices of ginger

2 cloves of garlic – finely chopped

1 tbsp oyster sauce or soy sauce

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp Cooking rice wine/ Sherry

1 tsp corn flour mix with 1 tbsp of water – used as thickener but can be opt out.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok/pot then fry ginger and garlic til aroma rises.
2. Add in the gingko nuts and zucchini.  Reduce heat to medium.  Continue stirring for 2 mins.
3. Add the shrimps and turn heat up before adding the cooking wine and oyster sauce.  Continue stirring and coats the shrimps evenly.
4. Finally stirred in the starch until flour mixture becomes translucent.
5. Serve hot with rice.

In general this recipe can be served to family members as part of a dish but not as a meal on its own.

Functions and Benefits:

1. Gingko – strengthens Lung Qi and sooth asthma.
2. Shrimps – assist and Tonifies Yang; Tonifies Qi and Blood.
3. Zucchini – cools heat; tones Stomach and Spleen Qi; moistens dryness
4. Ginger – warms Middle Burner, counteracts toxicity of shrimps or seafood in general.
5. Garlic – warms Middle Burner, moves Qi and Blood.

Precautions and Contraindications:

1. Gingko nuts CANNOT be eaten raw* or eat cooked gingko excessively.  This herb is slightly toxic.
2. CAUTION when use during pregnancy.  Best to consult your local TCM practitioner NOT friends or relatives.
3. If present of heavy phlegm sputum, replace shrimp with chicken.

*only to be prescribed  by qualify TCM practitioner in herbal formulas.

If you have any doubt or want to know more about this recipe, contact your TCM practitioner or myself.

Thank you for reading.

Kenny Law
Australia Registered TCM Practitioner.
 

DISCLAIMER:
Information given are purely for references and it is not intent to diagnose medical conditions or to be used for self-diagnosed. Always consult medical health personnel for proper medical diagnosis.

© COPYRIGHT 2010 KENNY LAW

Sharing and/or reproduction of any part of this document is prohibited without written consent

For further reading: