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TCM Treasures Aweto
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SIMPLIFIED Chinese: 冬虫夏草 Pinyin: dōng chóng xià cǎo
Cordyceps, a little dried yellow-brown worm, is famous in TCM and traditional Tibetan medicine and is exported worldwide. It is “neutral” in energy and reinforces both yin and yang energy.
It is commonly called aweto, “dong chong xia cao” (summer worm, winter grass) and caterpillar fungus. It looks like segmented caterpillars with rings, 16 feet and a long darker growth extending from the head.
Aweto comes mainly from the Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai Province, western Sichuan Province, southwestern Gansu Province and northwestern Yunnan Province.
The creature is the result of a parasitic relationship between the fungus cordyceps and the larva of the ghost moth (thitarodes). The fungus germinates in the larva, kills and mummifies the insect host, and then the cordyceps grows from the head of the insect.
The larva is infected in winter and the fungus grows in summer, hence the name “summer worm, winter grass.”
The fungus grows only above 5,000 meters in elevation. It is usually picked in summer and autumn and sun-dried to be used as herbs.
In TCM, aweto is believed to be effective in reinforcing yin energy in the lungs and yang energy in the kidneys.
It is considered a powerful aid to the immune system. It reinforces essence and bone marrow, helps stop bleeding, resolve phlegm and relieve coughing.
Prescriptions & Usage:
Aweto soup for basic reinforcement
• Use a small double-boiler.
• Put 4 pieces in a small pot of water and lower into a larger pot.
• Cook for around 45 minutes. Remove aweto and reuse.
• Drink at least twice a week. Each piece of aweto can be used three times.
Aweto congee
• Prepare aweto powder (5g), sticky rice (50g), rock sugar.
• Make congee with sticky rice and sugar.
• Add aweto and simmer for 10 minutes.
Aweto and duck
• Prepare aweto (10g), a duck, yellow wine, salt.
• Chop up duck, put pieces in earthen pot with water.
• Add water, yellow wine and salt. Simmer for two to three hours.
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