Stewed Field Mouse with Chenpi and Black Beans

Introduction to Medicinal Diet

A traditional medicinal diet passed down in Lingnan and other southern folk regions, “Stewed Field Mouse with Chenpi and Black Soybeans” is recorded in ancient classics such as *Bencao Gangmu* (Compendium of Materia Medica) and *Shiwu Bencao* (Food Materia Medica). The dish features field mouse meat as the main ingredient, complemented by *Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium* (Chenpi), *Glycine max* (Black soybean), *Zingiber officinale* Roscoe (fresh ginger), and other ingredients, slowly simmered over gentle heat until the broth becomes rich and mellow. The aroma of meat blends with the fragrance of dried tangerine peel, creating a unique flavor. Among the folk, this medicinal dish has long been praised with the saying, “One field mouse equals three chickens,” referring to its particularly deep and substantial nourishing effect.

In traditional Chinese medicine food therapy, field mouse is regarded as a “blood-and-flesh substance with emotional affinity.” When combined with Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (tangerine peel) and Glycine max (black soybean), it not only harmonizes the gamey odor but also enhances the effects of strengthening the spleen and tonifying the kidneys. Tangerine peel regulates qi and dries dampness, while black beans, being black in color, enter the kidney meridian. Together, these three ingredients create a seasonal delicacy that is both flavorful and nourishing. This dish is especially suitable for consumption in autumn and winter or for individuals with a constitution of deficiency cold, as it warms and tonifies the middle jiao and consolidates the root.

Therapeutic Effects of Medicinal Diet

Overview of Overall Actions

The overall effects of “Aged Tangerine Peel and Black Soybean Stewed Field Mouse” center on “strengthening the Spleen and tonifying Qi, tonifying the Kidney and nourishing Blood, and eliminating Dampness and regulating Qi.” Field mouse meat is neutral in nature and sweet in flavor, entering the Spleen and Stomach meridians; it can tonify deficiency and wasting, and promote growth. Black soybean tonifies the Kidney, promotes urination, nourishes Blood, and eliminates Wind. Aged Tangerine Peel (Chen Pi) regulates Qi, strengthens the Spleen, dries Dampness, and transforms Phlegm. The synergistic action of these three ingredients ensures that this medicinal diet nourishes without causing cloying stagnation, making it particularly suitable for individuals with Spleen and Stomach deficiency complicated by Dampness.

Specific effects and manifestations

Consuming this dietary preparation regularly can alleviate symptoms such as spirit fatigue and lassitude, soreness and weakness of the lower back and knees, poor appetite, and frequent nocturia. It also provides adjunctive support for pediatric malnutrition (gan accumulation) and developmental delay in children. Furthermore, the anthocyanins in black soybean (Semen Glycines Nigrum) and the volatile oils in tangerine peel (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae) work synergistically to promote blood circulation, enhance the body’s antioxidant capacity, and thereby delay the aging process while boosting immune function.

The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s nature, flavor, and meridian tropism, vole meat is sweet and salty in flavor, warm in nature, and enters the Spleen (SP), Stomach (ST), and Kidney (KI) meridians. Sweetness can tonify the middle, saltiness can soften hardness and enter the Kidney, and warmth can dispel cold. Therefore, it can warmly tonify Spleen and Kidney yang qi, and is especially suitable for patterns of Spleen-Kidney yang deficiency manifesting as aversion to cold, cold limbs, and loose stools. Tangerine peel (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae) is pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in nature, and enters the Spleen (SP) and Lung (LU) meridians. Pungency disperses, bitterness descends, and warmth moves qi, thus it can break the stagnation caused by tonifying herbs, ensuring that supplementation does not lead to stagnation.

Black soybeans (Hei Dou) are sweet in taste, neutral in nature, and enter the Spleen and Kidney meridians. According to the *Materia Medica of Chen Cangqi* (*Bencao Shiyi*), they “indicate wind bi, paralysis, trismus, and various wind conditions postpartum.” They can promote urination and detoxify, nourish blood and pacify the liver. In this combination, field mouse (Tian Shu) serves as the core to tonify deficiency, black soybean assists its kidney-tonifying power, and tangerine peel (Chen Pi) regulates and smooths qi movement, enabling the whole formula to tonify while unblocking, and to be warm without drying. It is especially suitable for those with “deficiency that cannot tolerate tonification,” as it prevents cloying and obstructing the stomach while providing replenishment.

Suitable Individuals

This medicinal food is especially suitable for middle-aged and elderly individuals with constitutional weakness and qi and blood deficiency, presenting with sallow complexion, shortness of breath, fatigue, soreness and weakness of the lower back and legs, and memory decline. It may also be used during the recovery period after childbirth or illness to help supplement primordial qi and promote recovery. For sub-health populations with long-term mental or physical labor and overexertion of vitality, consuming it one to two times per week can effectively alleviate fatigue and improve sleep quality.

In addition, when children present with *gan ji* (infantile malnutrition characterized by poor digestion, sallow complexion, emaciation, and delayed growth), consuming an appropriate amount of soup under the guidance of a TCM practitioner can fortify the spleen, stimulate the appetite, and promote growth and development. In southern regions where dampness is more prevalent, individuals who often experience body heaviness and a white, greasy tongue coating can also benefit from the dampness-drying property of *Chenpi* (Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae, tangerine peel) to eliminate internal damp turbidity, thereby enhancing the tonifying effect.

Contraindicated Populations

Those with internal exuberance of Damp-Heat should not consume it, as manifested by bitter taste and foul breath, sticky loose stools, dark yellow urine, and a thick yellow greasy tongue coating, so as to avoid promoting dampness and generating heat, thereby aggravating the condition. Those with Yin Deficiency and Fire Hyperactivity should also use with caution; if there is heat in the palms and soles, dry mouth and throat, night sweats, and malar flush, consuming warming and tonifying substances may consume and damage yin fluids, resulting in symptoms of fire hyperactivity.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to temporarily avoid consumption, as the sourcing and medicinal properties of field mouse (rodent) require more rigorous clinical evaluation, and traditional materia medica have long documented that “pregnant women should avoid eating rodents.” It is contraindicated for individuals allergic to rodent meat or legumes. Additionally, during the course of External Excess Heat Patterns such as common cold with fever, sore throat, cough with yellow phlegm, consumption should be suspended to avoid trapping the pathogen inside and prolonging the illness.

Ingredient formula proportions

Main ingredient: 500g field mouse meat (approximately 2 mice, eviscerated weight). It is recommended to select field mice that feed on grains from the fields, not urban sewer rats. Supplementary ingredients: 15g aged tangerine peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium; a 3–5-year-aged Guang tangerine peel with pure aroma is recommended), 100g black soybean (Glycine max; pre-soaked for at least 4 hours), 30g fresh ginger (Zingiber officinale; sliced), 6 red dates (Ziziphus jujuba; pitted), 10g goji berry (Lycium barbarum).

Seasonings: 20 ml yellow rice wine (Huangjiu), appropriate amount of salt (recommended to add before serving). 2000 ml clear water (approximately 8 bowls of water). After boiling and simmering, the resulting soup yields about 1500 ml (6 bowls). The above is for 3-4 servings; adjust proportionally as needed. The black soybeans (Heidou) must be soaked in advance, otherwise they will not soften easily and may affect digestion and absorption.

Preparation Method

Step 1: Process the field mouse (Microtus spp.)

Remove the fur and internal organs of the field mouse, retaining the liver and kidneys (which should be thoroughly rinsed before use). Cut the meat into small cubes of approximately 3 cm square. Place the pieces in a bowl, add a small amount of salt and cooking wine, massage them well, then rinse repeatedly with clean water until no bloody water remains. Drain and set aside. This step effectively removes the strong, gamey odor.

Step 2: Stir-fry to remove fishy odor.

Heat a wok without oil, directly add the field mouse meat pieces (Rattus norvegicus flesh), and stir-fry over medium heat until the surface moisture dries out and the texture tightens. Splash in yellow wine (Sake-like Yellow Wine), continue stir-frying for about 2 minutes until the alcohol dissipates and the meat turns slightly yellow. This step further eliminates the fetid odor and enhances the aromatic quality, while also ensuring the broth becomes clear and bright.

Step 3: Place in the pot and decoct

Transfer the stir-fried field rat meat into a clay pot or ceramic casserole. Add sufficient water (add all at once), then add the soaked black beans, tangerine peel, ginger slices, and red dates. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any foam, then reduce to a low simmer and cook gently for 1.5 to 2 hours.

Step Four: Seasoning and Finishing

Simmer until the soup turns a deep brown color, the Black Soybean (Glycine max) becomes soft and tender, and the aroma of meat permeates, then add Goji Berry (Lycium barbarum) and cook for another 5 minutes. Finally, season with salt according to taste (prefer lighter rather than salty), stir well, and turn off the heat. Before serving, remove the residues of Dried Tangerine Peel (Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium) for a better soup texture.

Drinking Tips

1. Optimal Consumption Timing: It is recommended to drink the warm soup half an hour before lunch or dinner, consuming 200–250 ml (approximately one bowl) each time, including both the soup and the meat. Consume 1–2 times per week, with a course of 2–3 consecutive weeks for regulation. Avoid excessive intake to prevent over-nourishment.

2. Incompatibilities: During the course of taking this preparation, avoid simultaneous consumption of raw, cold, greasy, or pungent foods, as well as qi-breaking substances such as radish (Raphanus sativus), so as not to impair the tonifying effect of the medicinal diet. If other Chinese herbal medicines are taken concurrently, an interval of at least one hour is recommended.

3. Storage and Reheating: If a large quantity of soup is prepared at one time, store the soup and solid ingredients separately. It can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 week. When reheating, bring to a full boil before consuming. Do not microwave the solid remnants directly to avoid uneven heating. If the soup develops an off-flavor or cloudy flocculent particles, discard and do not consume.

4. Special Reminder: Ensure the field mouse source is completely safe and reliable. It is not recommended to catch wild mice on your own; instead, select mice from certified farms or professionally supplied edible sources. First-time consumers should first drink a small amount of the soup to observe their body’s reaction, and only proceed to normal consumption if no discomfort occurs.