Contributed By: 

Robin McLennan

This tonic stew is much more warming in nature and would not be appropriate for those with a hot constitution. In this case pork, which is neutral in temperature, could be substituted.
Ingredients:

2 TB cooking oil
1 lb. lamb, cut into 1 ½ inc cubes
½ cup soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
2 t. cooking wine
6 slices ginger
2TB chopped onion
8 cups water
¼ t. anise seed
½ cup potato, diced
2 carrots, cut into small pieces

Instructions: 

Heat oil in wok or large soup pot. Add lamb, soy sauce, sugar and cooking wine, and stir-fry lamb for 5 minutes or until brown. Add 4 cups of water, ginger, onion, and anise and simmer covered on low heat for 1 ½ hours. Add carrot and potato (and more water if necessary) and simmer for 20 minutes more. Serve hot.

*from “The Healing Cuisine of China”, by Zhuo Zhao & George Ellis.