THE CHINESE HERB GARDEN - Growing Chinese Vegetables in Your Own Backyard - page 153

• In the South, the leaves were traditionally used to make a beverage considered
both soothing and beneficial. To make this, whirl young leaves in the blender
with a quantity of water and let stand about 5 minutes, then pour over ice cubes.
DID YOU KNOW?
Sesame seeds and oil are good for you. The seeds are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous,
thiamine, zinc, and fiber. In addition, the seeds and oil are considered particularly desirable because
they contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They are good sources of antioxidants, which
explains why sesame oil lasts a long time without turning rancid. The oil is relatively stable at high tem-
peratures, making it a good choice for frying.
Ginger
J IANG , G EUNG
Zingiber officinale
(color photo, page xiv)
If you have a spice shelf, chances are that ground ginger is on it. Everywhere in the
world it's one of the most popular and widely used spices. Many varieties of ginger
grow wild from China to the United States, but the finest varieties originated in the East
Indies and India. In Japan, it is called shoga.