Liu Yuan serves Chinese herb set menu

From: Taiwan News Page 17


Serving nourishing herbal meals that have been specially formulated to help the body ward off the winter chill and welcome the arrival of winter is a deeply rooted Chinese tradition. The Chinese firmly believe that adding Chinese herbs to produce nourishing dishes is absolutely guaranteed to keep oneself healthy and balance the body's yin and yang and improve blood circulation.
The Westin Taipei's Liu Yuan Shanghainese Restaurant Executive Chef Qiu You-Bin has specially selected various herb ingredients that include the deer antlers of a young stag, erxian jiao, Hua Qi ginseng and other nutrient Chinese herbs.
Over 10 various kinds of Chinese herbs are used in the "Warming Winter with Chinese Herb Set Menu" including lobster, soft-shelled turtle, eel and prepared in the most authentic Shanghainese cooking. The Westin Taipei welcomes guests to sample this nutritious Chinese herb set menu offered at the price of NT$2,500 + 10% per person.
Absolutely appetizing and unforgettable.
One of the Set Menu dishes guests can enjoy is the "Marinated Chicken with Chinese Herb and Yam, Black Bean and Scallop". This appetizer dish includes taro, black beans and scallop marinated together with chicken and Chinese herb. Black bean contains an abundant protein as well as Vitamins E and B, calcium, iron, flax oil and lecithin. Sliced pieces of taro is sprinkled on this appetizer that will enable guests to savor plum jam flavor. The Executive Chef has added his home-made fermented honey with the black bean and scallop that allows guests to relish this mouthwatering appetizing appetizer.
The main course that guests can enjoy is "Doubled Boiled Mutton and Turtle Soup with Chinese Herb." This dish is refreshing and not even oily and makes it an unforgettable dining experience. These main course ingredients include turtle, lobster, and top choice eel. The soup base uses "erxian jiao," roots of Chinese angelica (dang gui), huang qi, yi zhu, guang pi as well as a wide range of nutritious Chinese herbs and are boiled for several hours together with aged female chicken. The turtle and mutton are then added to boil to feature a nourishing dish. Guests will be able to increase their immunity and successfully ward off the winter chill.
Other dishes guests will be able to relish include the "Steamed Lobster with Chinese Herb" and the "Braised Deer Antler with Chinese Herb." Steamed Lobster with Chinese Herb ingredients include tian ma, roots of Chinese angelica (dang gui), and lyceum chinensis (matrimony vine) and steamed together with the lobster. Each bite of this delicious lobster brings out the original tastes and flavors of this delectable dish. One of the ingredients "Tian Ma" is perfect for calming one's nerves and easing the body's pressure. The "Braised Deer Antler with Chinese Herb" ingredients use dried deer antler and hua qi ginseng Chinese herb and braised together with deer antler and fresh eel. Guests can take pleasure in enjoying the smooth, fragrant fleshy fruit. Deer antler is a perfect way to nourish one's vitality and improve blood circulation while hua qi ginseng is able to lower blood pressure which is why it is the perfect dish to fight off the winter chill.
While enjoying the various Chinese herbs delicacies, guests will also be able to sample a tasty Sauted Asparagus, Yam and Gingo nut dish. The ingredients include winter Chinese caterpillar, yam, gingo nut and deep-fried together with the asparagus. Lycium chinensis (gou qi) is then sauteed with the ingredients to produce a perfect nourishing dish and an unforgettable dining experience. The fresh winter Chinese caterpillar contains nutritive value and is an ideal way to adjust feeble bodies while gingo nuts contains lots of protein, fat and sugar.