🌿 Folk Prescriptions

[Ingredients] Raw Astragalus 30g, Codonopsis 20g, live female carp 1 piece (about 700g), dried shiitake mushrooms 20g, refined salt, cooking wine, soy sauce, brown sugar, green onion, garlic, water starch, monosodium glutamate, all as needed.
[Preparation] Remove scales, gills, and internal organs from the carp, keep the roe; make diagonal cuts in a cross pattern on the carp body. Heat oil to six-tenths hot, fry the carp until golden brown, then remove. Wash Astragalus and Codonopsis, wrap in gauze, place in a clay pot with soy sauce, brown sugar, half-cooked carp, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, green onion, garlic, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add monosodium glutamate and ginger paste, thicken with water starch, and serve.
[Usage] Serve as a meal accompaniment; eat meat and drink soup.
[Efficacy] Tonifies middle Qi, strengthens spleen and stomach, nourishes blood and improves complexion, enhances sexual desire.
[Notes] Astragalus is sweet and warm, primarily tonifying spleen and lung Qi to elevate central Yang. When spleen and lung Qi are sufficient, the exterior becomes firm and tight, fluids are properly transformed, tissue regeneration and abscess drainage are promoted, and abundant Qi facilitates blood production, blood control, and circulation. Spleen-lung Qi deficiency and central Qi sinking are common conditions, making Astragalus renowned as a premier Qi-tonifying herb.