Lots of food in China (and it seems in Hong Kong in particular) are sold with the message and the understanding that they will address some ailment or rebalance some element that is lacking in one's body. Therefore at herbal tea stands, it's not at all unusual for the purchaser to ask the shopkeeper what tea to buy if the person has a cold / weak digestive system / dampness or gout in their joints / too much "huoqi" (literally, fiery breath), etc. etc.
Similarly, different kinds of soups, boiled for hours on end with certain key ingredients (like geoduck, goji berries, chicken feet, pickled vegetables and pork lungs, just to name a few), are meant to speed up metabolism, remove dampness from the lungs, nourish the skin, bolster eyesight, etc. etc. I know lots of people who scoff at this, but having grown up in a household that very much believed (and still believes in) this stuff, I guess I can't help but lend credence to all of these food philosophies.
I've recently discovered a bunch of pre-packaged desserts that I have been sampling. I am surprisingly drawn to the coconut milk and almond flavors. The lily bulb and barley bits add a little bit of fun texture. Plus, they promise to "nourish 'yin' and moisten the lungs" as well as to "clear the heart and calm the mind"!
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| I think it's safe to say that this one is just BS - but it's still tasty |
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