Why should I use a casserole to boil herbs? Do I need to cover the casserole to simmer herbs? How long does it take to boil medicine in a casserole?

Casserole can not only be used to make pot rice, casserole rice noodles, can also be used to boil Chinese medicine. In daily life, careful friends will find that boiling Chinese medicine is generally used casserole, so why can only use casserole and can not use other containers?

Why use casserole to boil Chinese medicine?

In life, when we take traditional Chinese medicine, the medicine is usually boiled into soup, so that the ingredients in the medicine are dissolved in water and then taken by the patient. Unlike soups and stir-fries, Chinese medicines cannot be cooked in iron, copper or other metal pots. It is best cooked in a casserole or wok. This is because:First of all, the bottom of casserole and wok conducts heat very evenly, and the fire is more gentle when cooking. And the whole pot insulation, water evaporation is small, is conducive to the preservation of heat-resistant ingredients, the preservation of drug ingredients is also more comprehensive. Secondly, many plant medicines contain tannins, organic acids, etc. The chemical reaction will occur with the iron ions in the iron pot, turning into insoluble precipitates, so that the human body can not be absorbed. And the alkaloids in traditional Chinese medicine need to be combined with tannins in order to dissolve in water. If the medicine is decocted in an iron pot, the tannic acid will be consumed and the alkaloids will not be dissolved, which will also affect the efficacy of the medicine.

Of course, most people choose casseroles and tile pots to boil Chinese medicine, not only because of science, but also largely because of habit. In fact, stainless steel and enameled containers can also be used to boil Chinese medicine and are also safe.

Should I cover the casserole?

Whether or not to cover the medicine in the casserole depends on the type of herbs. Generally speaking, it is necessary to cover the herbal medicine to cook it thoroughly and the active ingredients can be fully dissolved. For example, mint, patchouli, etc. , in particular, need to be covered and boiled. Because these drugs will evaporate their active ingredients with water vapor during boiling, they must be covered to prevent volatilization. Let the water vapor containing the volatile components of the drug condense on the lid, and then condense into water droplets to drip back into the casserole to reduce the loss of the active ingredients of the drug. Some Chinese medicines with loose texture and certain volume, such as mulberry leaves and chrysanthemums, do not need to be decocted with a lid. As the liquid of these herbs is easy to overflow during the boiling process, special attention should be paid to the boiling process, with more stirring if possible, so that the herbs are evenly boiled through.

How long does it take to boil herbs in a casserole?

The casserole decoction time should be determined according to the nature of the medicine, general medicine 30 minutes. Antidepressants, purging medicines, aromatic medicines should not be decocted for a long time. After boiling, decoct for 15-20 minutes. Bring the tonic to a boil over a high heat, then slowly decoct over a low heat for 40-60 minutes. Stir the ingredients 2-3 times while decocting. Each dose of Chinese medicine is usually decocted twice, and the second decoction can be slightly shorter.

Precautions for Decoction in Casserole

It should be noted that the casserole will crack when heated or cooled suddenly. Decoctions should be heated gradually, not suddenly on the fire to avoid bursting.

Don't immediately wash a casserole that has just been fried with cold water. You can clean the medicine scale after it has cooled on a dry piece of wood or a rack. Oil stains on the casserole should not be soaked in detergent to prevent sewage from seeping into the pores. You can rub it with leftover tea leaves or soak it in rice water and heat it up, then brush it.