Scientific name: Rhizoma Dioscorea
English name: Dried Chinese Yam (Huai Shan)
Chinese name: 淮山, 山藥 (huáishān/waai4saan1, shānyào/saan1joek6)

What are huai shan?

• Huai shan is a type of Chinese medicinal herb but able to be eaten as well.
• It is a Chinese wild yam that sold in its dried, sliced form. Sometimes it is available in its fresh whole form.
• Huai shan is commonly used in soups. It is one of the ingredients in Ching Bo Leung, which is a mix of herbs popular for tonification effects.

What are its health benefits?

• Huai shan helps invigorates the spleen and stomach-for deficiency in energy with poor appetite, fatigue, loose stools or chronic diarrhea.
• May alleviate frequent urination in pregnant women.
• Huai shan is found in many herbal supplements such as 六味地黃丸, 杷菊地黃丸, 參苓白朮散.

How do I select dried huai shan?

• Huai shan is white, smooth and about ⅛” thick, it is sold loose or packaged.
• Wild huai shan is unprocessed, it is slightly yellow and is dried naturally.

How do I prepare it?

Simply boil with other ingredients to make a soup. Here are some savory or sweet soup ideas:

• 黑木耳淮山瘦肉湯-Huai Shan Wood Ear Lean Pork Soup
• 懷上玉竹清燉雞-Huai Shan Odoratum Double Boiled with Clear Chicken Soup
• 淮山玉米花生湯-Huai Shan Corn Peanut Soup
• 淮山響螺補排骨-Huai Shan Conch Pork Rib Soup
• 淮山紅棗雞腳湯-Huai Shan Jujube Chicken Feet Soup
• 淮山雲耳芝麻糊-Huai Shan White Wood Ear Sesame Sweet Soup
• 淮山紅棗元肉湯-Huai Shan Jujube Dried Logan Sweet Soup
• 淮山薏米露-Huai Shan Barley Sweet Porridge
• 雪耳淮山桂花糕-Huai Shan White Wood Ear Chrysanthemum Cake