Huoxiang, a medicinal and edible herb with the same origin

December 06, 2023

Agastache rugosa, also known as Agastache rugosa in Latin, is an aromatic herbaceous plant in the family Lamiaceae, belonging to the genus Agastache. It is a traditional medicinal and edible homologous plant in China, widely distributed throughout the country. It is widely distributed in major mountainous and semi mountainous areas in Northeast China, especially in counties of Changbai Mountain. It is also widely cultivated and distributed in East Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan.

1. The nutritional function of Huoxiang

Huoxiang was originally widely used as a spice in ancient times. Like agarwood, sandalwood, cloves, wood, etc., it was an important material used by nobles and nobles to make sachets and aromatherapy. The main active ingredient of Huoxiang is volatile oil, which can be used as a spice and also has antibacterial and preservative effects. Huoxiang not only has a unique aroma, but as an edible wild vegetable, it is also rich in various nutrients such as amino acids, proteins, vitamins, fatty acids, carbohydrates, minerals, and essential trace elements that can be absorbed and utilized by the human body.

According to literature reports, every 100g of fresh and tender leaves of Huoxiang contains 72g of water, 8.6g of protein, 1.7g of fat, 10g of carbohydrates, 580mg of calcium, 104mg of phosphorus, 28-5mg of iron, 6.38mg of carotene, 23mg of Vc, 0.1mg of VB, 0.38mg of VB2, and 1.2mg of VPP (niacin).

Huoxiang contains higher levels of protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other nutrients than vegetables such as cabbage, radish, scallions, lotus roots, potatoes, rapeseed, and spinach. Its Vitamin content is also higher. In contrast, Huoxiang can provide more nutrients for the body's growth needs, with high nutritional value and health benefits, indicating its potential development value as a vegetable.

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2. Application of Huoxiang in Traditional Food

2.1 Huoxiang can be used as a vegetable

The edible part of Huoxiang is usually tender stems and leaves. In summer, Huoxiang can be collected and blanched with hot water, then dried and stored. It is soaked and eaten in winter without any loss of taste, making it a delicious and healthy food. The tender leaves of Huoxiang can be stir fried, cold mixed, or made into soup. After blanching with boiling water, the tender leaves can be directly mixed with seasoning for a refreshing and delicious taste. Fresh and tender leaf buds can also be mixed with peanuts or soybeans as seasoning.

In addition, freshly bloomed inflorescences can be picked from June to August, washed and directly dipped in soy sauce for enjoyment. They can also be rolled up in pancakes or thin pancakes for a better taste and endless aftertaste. Alternatively, they can be placed in a sauce jar to extract their fragrance, which not only satisfies the taste buds but also has a cosmetic effect. In summary, there are various ways to eat Huoxiang, including deep frying, stir frying, stir frying eggs, stir frying sauce, making soup, and cooking noodles. As a side dish of hot pot, Huoxiang has a unique flavor.

2.2 Huoxiang can be made into Huoxiang sauce

Xinjiang Uyghur ethnic group Mukhtar Imir Aishanyin and others conducted a study and analysis on the chemical composition of traditional Uyghur huoxiang jam. The results showed that the jam had the highest potassium content, with higher content of essential trace elements such as magnesium, iron, and zinc, and lower content of copper and manganese.

In addition, research by Hu Haobin and others has confirmed that Huoxiang is rich in flavonoids and vitamins, which are natural antioxidants. Therefore, Huoxiang jam is considered a food with higher health value. Huoxiang jam is made from the fragile stems and leaves of Huoxiang collected at the end of August when Huoxiang blooms. After crushing, Huoxiang, high-quality white sugar, and honey are evenly mixed in a 1:3:1 mass ratio, placed in a large vat, covered with white gauze or glass at the mouth of the vat, exposed to sunlight, and stirred thoroughly every 2-3 days. Huoxiang, white sugar, and honey dissolve into a sticky paste (which takes about 3 months to form). 4 months, canned when the sauce is ripe.

2.3 Agastache Congee

Take 15g of Huoxiang (fresh 30g) and fry Huoxiang juice for later use. Boil Congee with 50g of stem rice. When it is cooked, add agastache juice, and cook it slightly before eating. This Congee can prevent heatstroke, stimulate appetite and increase appetite, and is suitable for the elderly to eat in summer.

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2.4 Agastache rugosa can be used as Dim sum

The Dim sum chef in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, is ingenious. The lotus and agastache dumplings are soft fried with agastache leaves as the skin and osmanthus bean paste as the filling. They taste cool and fragrant. This Dim sum has been included in Chinese Snacks and Encyclopedia of China, and has become a famous snack all over the country.

2.5 compound seasoning for stewing fish

Sichuan cuisine features dishes such as Douban fresh fish, pickled Hu beans, Huoxiang roasted eggplant, Huoxiang roasted bitter bamboo shoots, Xiaojiao Huoxiang Liaoshen, Huoxiang crucian carp, etc., which are popular among Sichuan people. Huoxiang is a commonly used spice when cooking fish in southern and western Sichuan. Among the popular cold pot fish, Sichuan pepper and Huoxiang are the two main seasonings formed by their unique flavor characteristics.

It can be seen that as a precious plant that is both a vegetable and a seasoning, Huoxiang not only brings people delicious food but also nutritional and health benefits. There is a famous dish in the northern auspicious cuisine called "Qingling Live Fish", and Huoxiang is an essential seasoning that contributes to its delicious taste. Huoxiang has a unique and rich herbal aroma, with the function of removing fishy smell and increasing fragrance. It is often used as a seasoning for side dishes and stews, and is one of the famous seasonings in Northeast China.

2.6 Huoxiang can be used as a tea drink

Combine Huoxiang with some compatible raw materials, such as mint, licorice, perilla, Angelica dahurica, Ophiopogon japonicus, chrysanthemum, etc., to form various medicinal teas with fitness, beauty, and disease therapeutic effects. Boil them with water or soak them directly for drinking.

For the research of Huoxiang beverage, Gu Jinsheng developed a natural Huoxiang beverage using natural Huoxiang tender leaves as raw materials, combined with traditional Chinese medicine such as Atractylodes macrocephala and Pinellia ternata, sweeteners such as honey and rock sugar, and sterilized with pure water. This beverage has the functions of clearing heat and thirst, moistening the throat, dispelling heat, detoxifying, etc., and the production process is simple and the cost is low, meeting the human demand for natural, green, healthy, safe, and non-toxic side effects drinks.

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2023-12-28

Shaanxi Huike Botanical Development Co., Ltd.

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