Food has long been an effective and economical healing resource of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM understands that every food carries healing energy to a particular organ (or organs). Throughout the ages, TCM practitioners have prescribed specific dietary changes along with herbal medicine, exercise, and lifestyle changes to assist their patients in attaining better health.

The classic writings of Chinese Medicine tell us that the Liver and the Gall Bladder are the organs of the body which are most vulnerable in the springtime. Sour and tart foods such as dandelion greens, pickles, lemons and limes, help nurture these organs. Adding lemon juice to your tea, water, or salad dressing, enjoying salads with fresh young greens, adding herbs such as chives, garlic, or scallions to your food are all ways to provide helpful nourishment to your body during the spring season.

In addition, try this recipe:

Scallion Pancakes

This is an easy-to-make version of the classic Chinese favorite. Serves four.

Ingredients:  

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 egg, beaten well
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 3 medium sized scallions
• Vegetable oil for frying

Directions: Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the water, milk, egg, salt, and sugar.  Stir well, taking care to press smooth any lumps in the batter (you may find a whisk helpful for this). Wash the scallions, dry them, and trim off the roots and any damaged spots on the green portion.  Cut the scallions vertically down the center and then chop them on the diagonal into ¼ inch pieces.  Fold the scallions into the batter. Put some oil into a pan and heat on medium-high heat.  Pour about ¼ of the batter into the pan for each pancake.  Cook for 3-4 minutes (until the edges of the pancake turn translucent), then flip and cook on the other side until slightly browned. Serve hot with and enjoy with a soy-sauce based dipping sauce.

(taken from Harmony – a publication of the Traditional Chinese Medicine World Foundation, Spring 2007 edition)