Highlight #278: What we call Snow Frog

We Chinese have a deep rooted belief in food for healing. The line between medicine and cuisine is blur. Even at banquets, a good host is always aware of his/her guests' conditions and orders the dishes accordingly. For example, at one business lunch near Shanghai, our hostess thoughtfully ordered up a very pretty rock sugar hasma soup steamed inside papaya for all the ladies. This dish is known to be particular good for the skin as hasma (snow frog's fallopian tubes) is harvested during the snow frog's 100 day hibernation under the snow and is full of beneficial hormones for energizing cell regeneration. The papaya further includes loads of helpful enzymes to help the digestive system absorb all the nutrients.

It may sound nasty to some, but the taste is really very pleasant, especially when served with honey and coconut milk. The hasma has a slight chew like the tapioca balls at the bottom of a cup of bubble tea.