The mere mention of herbs in cooking never fails to provide much food for thought. On the one hand, it brings to mind rare, esoteric, ancient medical concoctions that are prohibitive to most people and on the other hand, these tonic dishes are viewed as obscure pungent brews that are dished out as cure-alls for every and any ill or affliction.

Hence, if you think Chinese herbal cooking is synonymous with bitter-tasting, expensive tonics, then Family Herbal Cookbook is for you! Consider garlic, soyabean, ginger, peppercorn, peanuts, marrow, Chinese radish, watercress, water chestnuts, chicken-all favourite ingredients in our daily meals that are fried, steamed, simmered or double boiled. They are part and parcel of the Chinese philosophy of eating to achieve harmony and equilibrium in the body. This is Chinese herbal cooking – documented for 5000 years and more and practised in every Chinese household.

The bitter tasting tonics help to correct an imbalanced body. But the daily diet of largely delicious herbal foods such as bak kut teh, watercress soup and soya bean milk keeps the body in balance and harmony.

In this book, you will find mouth-watering herbal recipes for the whole family, whether its for a growing baby or busy career person or older folk plagued with aches and pains of old age. These attainable recipes include recipes for main dishes to teas to sweet treats. The Family Herbal Cookbook is one cookbook that every household should have!