四神 is widely used in chinese dishes. Is good for complexion (养颜), cooling (清火) and diuretic (利尿).
This dishes is always recommended by our parents or the old folks to give to our kids to increase their immunity.

四神 > means there are 4 main ingredients: barley (薏仁), fox nuts (芡实), Chinese Yam (淮山) and poria (茯苓)
Some of the benefits:
Barley: Cooling and is a diuretic agent
Fox Nuts: Is slightly similar to lotus seed but is better than lotus seed. Build up body and strengthen lung
Chinese Yam: Increase appetite, strengthen lung
Poria: Calming effect

You can buy pre-pack from NTUC fairprice or TCM stores.
*Please take note, some kids may be allergy to Chinese yam. Do observe after they have consuming the food.

1. 四神粥

Ingredients: 四神, pork ribs and carrots
Serve: 2-3 person
Preparation time: 30-40mins (depends on what type of cooker you are using)

1. Clean and soak 四神 for awhile
2. Add in rice and water to boil (amount depends on how thick you want your porridge to be)
3. When the water is boiled, add in 四神 and carrot
4. Close cover, lower the heat to medium low and continue to let it boil for at least 2omins
5. When it boils again, stir and close cover and let it boil for another 20mins
6. Once it started boiling again, you can scope up and serve.

Note:
– If adults are having the same porridge, you can add in soy sauce to taste
– For toddlers who are at the early stage, you can blend the porridge till paste texture and serve.
– You can change the dried Chinese yam (if you buy pre-pack) to fresh Chinese yam if you want.
– For pre-pack 四神, there is 2 packets for each ingredients, for my case I only use one packet each. If you have more persons, you can used up the packets provided.

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2. 猪脚四神汤

Ingredients: Pork trotters, 四神, ginger, chinese wine and salt
Serve: 4 person
Preparation Time: 1+hr

1. “Clean” the pork trotters in a boiling water to clean away the blood, put one side
2. Chop 2 small slices of ginger
3. Clean 四神 and soak for awhile and put it aside
4. Boil a pot of water. When the water starts to boil add in ginger, pork trotters and 四神
5. Let it boil for about 45mins to an hour
6. Lastly put in Chinese wine and salt to taste

Note:
If you kids are still young, scope up a bowl of soup before adding in Chinese wine and salt
Pork trotters have minerals like zinc, iron. In Chinese most people used it in soup for good complexion, as it believe that it has high collagen.