Traditional Chinese Wellness Recipes, written by Vivian Aronson, features a comforting collection of Chinese dishes for every lifestyle. A few highlights include Stir-Fried Pineapple Beef, Rice Noodle Soup with Fish, Pea Cakes, Apple and Chinese Herbal Tea, and Buckwheat Steamed Dumplings. I will also be sharing her recipe for Spinach and Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing following the review.
Disclosure: I received this book from Page Street Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.
Vivian Aronson
Vivian Aronson is a cookbook author, creator of the website CookingBomb, and was selected for Season 10 of MasterChef.
She is also the author of The Asian Market Cookbook. Vivian grew up in Chengdu, China and is currently based with her family in Winter Park, Florida.
Traditional Chinese Wellness Recipes
Vivian begins Traditional Chinese Wellness Recipes with a short introduction before going over a few key ingredients with photos and descriptions to help get started.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Beauty and Skin Care, Weight Loss, Wellness and Prevention, General Health and Immunity, Pregnancy and Postpartum, and Plant-Based Recipes for General Health. The contents page has a list of included recipes with page number for easy reference.
Vivian also provides the photography. Every recipe is paired with a vibrant, full-page photo of the finished dish.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English and the original language. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, ingredient notes, notable health benefits, yield, serving ideas, and helpful tips.
Spinach and Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing
To pair with the review, I made Vivian’s Spinach and Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing (麻酱菠菜豆腐, Ma Jiang Bo Cai Dou Fu)!
This recipe is the first in the Plant-Based Recipes for General Health chapter and was such a refreshing option as a part of a larger meal. It also comes together in minutes.
Start by blanching spinach in boiling water for about a minute before cooling and squeezing out the excess water. Firm tofu cubes are then blanched in the same water for another 3 minutes before breaking up into smaller, bite-size pieces.
The tofu and spinach are combined in a bowl, then tossed gently in a flavorful sesame-based dressing to coat.
This Spinach and Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing is best served cold with a sprinkling of sesame seeds to finish.
If you love spinach, there is also a recipe for a Spinach and Seaweed Salad (Bo Cai Ban Hai Dai) in the Wellness and Prevention chapter.
More Dishes
I also made the Stir-Fried Chicken Breast with Cucumber (Huang Gua Chao Ji Xiang Rou), Egg and Chive Pancakes (Jiu Cai Jian Bing), Beef and Tomato Noodle Soup (Fan Qie Niu Nan Mian), and Black Sesame Steamed Buns (Hei Zhi Ma Man Tou).
The very first recipe I tried was the Stir-Fried Chicken Breast with Cucumber (Huang Gua Ji Xiang Rou). This easy meal comes together in about 30 minutes and I happened to have all the ingredients on hand. Chicken cubes are briefly marinated, then stir-fried with garlic in a soy sauce mixture before finally tossing in cucumber cubes for a wonderful contrast of flavors and textures.
The Egg and Chive Pancakes (Jiu Cai Jian Bing) are another easy recipe with only a handful of ingredients. This pancake batter is packed with chopped Chinese chives, then cooked in thin rounds just until set. Vivian recommends pairing them with congee.
I wish I had the Beef and Tomato Noodle Soup (Fan Qie Niu Nan Mian) from the Pregnancy and Postpartum chapter when I was struggling with morning sickness. This comforting soup has warming spices along with tender beef pieces and noodles.
The Black Sesame Steamed Buns highlight black sesame seeds in a soft, fluffy steamed bread. I used ground black sesame seeds, but Vivian notes you will get a more pronounced color with the use of black sesame sauce. These buns are also recommended for pairing with congee or warm soy milk.
Traditional Chinese Wellness Recipes is a great pick for those interested in holistic Chinese cuisine developed for the home cook. There is a nice range of options for every season with an assortment of drinks, small bites, meat and seafood dishes, dumplings, vegan meals and variations, and sweets. Some recipes come together in less than 30 minutes, while others require a bit more prep or cooking.
Having a market with Chinese ingredients nearby will be helpful in locating items such as doubanjiang, preserved mustard green stems, black rice vinegar, glutinous rice flour, Chinese dried red dates, Chinese yam, Sichuan chili peppers, dried goji berries, dried wood ear mushrooms, dried tofu skin, dark soy sauce, Chinese dark brown sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, and more.
For those in northern Virginia, I have been able to find everything listed so far at 99 Ranch Market in Fairfax, Virginia.
Spinach and Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing Recipe
Excerpt from Traditional Chinese Wellness Recipes
Spinach and Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
- salt
- 1 teaspoon cooking oil
- 12 ounces (350 grams) spinach (I used baby spinach)
- 14 ounces (400 grams) firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) chopped garlic
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) sesame paste
- 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) water
- 4 teaspoons (20 grams) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (30 grams) sesame seeds
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, adding a pinch of salt and the cooking oil.
- Blanch the spinach in the boiling water for 1 minute, then remove from the pot and squeeze out any excess water.
- Next, cut the tofu into large cubes and blanch them in the same water for about 3 minutes.
- Remove the tofu from the pot and let cool in a bowl. Once cooled, break the tofu into smaller pieces, using your hands.
- To the bowl of tofu, add the blanched spinach.
- In a separate bowl, prepare the dressing by mixing together the garlic, salt, soy sauce, sesame paste, water, sugar, and sesame oil until well combined.
- Pour this flavorful dressing over the tofu and spinach, then mix gently to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.
- To finish, sprinkle the sesame seeds over the salad. Serve cold as part of the meal.
Mimi Rippee
Love this! You don’t often see tofu in salads.