Fresh milk
Whole fresh cow's milk, the dairy staple that Cantonese cooking turned into a tonic medium: double-boiled with fish maw, lotus seed or red dates, full-cream milk forms a fragrant skin and gives the soup a silky, custard-like richness. The tradition descends from the Shunde double-skin milk line of buffalo-milk puddings.
TCM properties
Nature · neutral Flavour · sweet Meridians · heart、lung、stomach
Traditional food therapy
In Cantonese food therapy fresh milk is taken to nourish yin, moisten dryness and support the complexion, and warm milk tonics are traditionally regarded as calming before sleep.
Cautions: read first
- Not for the lactose intolerant (or choose lactose-free milk)
- Not for those allergic to cow's milk protein
- Those heavy with phlegm and damp should have only a little
Preparation
Full-cream fresh milk double boils into a more fragrant milk skin; double boil it with fish maw (花膠) for 3 to 4 hours, or 45 minutes to 1 hour for the simple version.
Origin
Australian local dairy regions (mainly New South Wales and Victoria). The Cantonese milk-tonic tradition traces to Shunde buffalo milk; any local full-cream fresh milk works
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
