Fritillaria from Hefeng

Fritillaria from Hefeng

　　Fritillaria is a commonly used herb for relieving phlegm and cough. It refers to the dried bulbs of Fritillaria cirrhosa and Fritillaria thunbergii, both plants in the Liliaceae family. Fritillaria cirrhosa is mainly produced in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Gansu provinces of China, while Fritillaria thunbergii is primarily grown in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui. Fritillaria cirrhosa tastes bitter and sweet, with a slightly cold nature; Fritillaria thunbergii tastes bitter and has a cold nature. Both are associated with the lung and heart meridians. It functions to relieve phlegm and cough, clear heat, and disperse nodules. It is used to treat symptoms such as cough due to heat-phlegm, cough from external causes, cough due to yin deficiency, dry cough with little phlegm, thick yellow sputum, lung abscess, breast abscess, boils and swellings, scrofula, and more. Modern pharmacological experiments have shown that fritillaria has antitussive, blood pressure-lowering, and blood sugar-raising effects.

Patent medicines: Qiuli Paste, Chuanbei Loquat Syrup, Yangyin Qingfei Pills, Niuhuang Qingfei Powder, Tie Di Pills, Zhibao Bolus, Shedan Chuanbei Capsules, Fritillaria-Trichosanthes Powder.

Medicinal diets: Chuanbei Rock Sugar Soup, Chuanbei-Stuffed Pear.

Methods of consumption

Fritillaria Pear

Ingredients: 3 pears, 15g fritillaria, 3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar.

Method:

1. Wash the pears, cut them horizontally at the upper 1/4, use the top part as a lid, remove the core, and set aside.

2. Crush the fritillaria into powder, divide it among the three pears, sprinkle dark brown sugar on top, and cover with the pear lids.

3. Place the fritillaria pears in a steamer, steam over high heat for one hour, then serve the pear juice and flesh together. 　

Stewed Pork Lung with Fritillaria

Preparation method:

1. Slice 250g of pork lung, rinse with water, and squeeze by hand to remove foam; peel the pear and cut it into small pieces.

2. Combine the pork lung, pear, and fritillaria in a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of rock sugar and water, and simmer over low heat for three hours.

Method of consumption: Once daily, to be served as a side dish.