Ingredients: 500 cc water.
Medicinal ingredients: 5 slices kudzu root (Pueraria lobata), 1 large slice fuling (Poris cocos), a small pinch of white jelly fungus (silver ears fungus-Tremella fuciformis),
3-4 kumquats.
Condiments: 1 spoonful rock sugar, 1 spoonful malt sugar.
Preparation: 1) Place water, jelly fungus and condiments into a stainless steel saucepan and boil for ten minutes.
2) Dry kudzu root and fuling in oven and grind into powder. Mix with water and stir into results of step 1.
3) Add kumquats, boil 5 minutes and remove pan from heat. The drink can be drunk hot, or allowed to cool and refrigerated to make a cold drink.
Medicinal properties: tonic for heart, lungs, spleen and stomach; thirst quenching, counteracts alcohol, stops diarrhea, has anti-cancer properties, improves memory.
Note: Multiply quantities according to number of people; thickness can be adjusted to suit individual taste. A slightly thick consistency gives the most satisfying drink.
A healthy year starts with the New Year's Eve family meal. Peymi Home proprietress Tsai Pei-na says that traditional dietary therapy is not difficult, and with persistence it can greatly improve one's constitution.