Back to previous page
Search in Dictionary

Stir-frying

炒 〔炒〕chǎo

Tossing (medicinal materials) in a heated wok. Stir-frying is the most commonly used method of heat processing. It is dry frying: oil should never be used unless specifically stated. The aims of stir-frying are threefold:

  1. To eliminate unwanted constituents, change the nature of medicinals, and reduce irritation or other side effects, and reduce extreme cold or dryness. For example, the fierce draining-precipitant action of rhubarb (Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, 大黄 dà huáng) in its raw form is moderated by stir-frying, and even more markedly reduced by char-frying.
  2. To increase the aromatic and spleen-fortifying qualities. For example, white atractylodes (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma, 白朮 bái zhú) and barley sprout (Hordei Fructus Germinatus, 麦芽 mài yá) are stir-fried until yellow, whereas crataegus (Crataegi Fructus, 山楂 shān zhā) and medicated leaven (Massa Medicata Fermentata, 神曲 shén qū) are scorch-fried.
  3. To facilitate crushing, storage, and extraction of active constituents through decoction. For example, some seeds when lightly fried, crispen and crack open facilitating decoction. Some materials become looser after stir-frying so that they are not only more easily crushed but also their active constituents are more easily extracted. Also stir-frying reduces moisture content and destroys ferments, thus preventing the breakdown of active constituents during storage. Stir-frying includes plain stir-frying (light-stir-frying, scorch-frying, char-frying etc), and stir-frying with adjuvants such as bran, earth, oven earth (Terra Flava Usta, 伏龙肝 fú lóng gān), or rice. Stir-frying with liquid adjuvants, especially honey, is usually referred to as mix-frying.

Stir-Frying

Plain Stir-Frying

Stir-Frying with Adjuvants

Mix-Frying

Back to previous page
Help us to improve our content
You found an error? Send us a feedback