Hakka yellow rice wine chicken is a traditional Chinese confinement food, which is a period after childbirth for the mother to rest and recover their body. The inclusion of rice wine is a cultural tradition and that along with ginger are considered warm natured foods and essential for postnatal recovery.
Submitted by John Liu
Another recipe using Hakka rice wine as well as bitter melon, which is highly nutritious and contains many essential vitamins and nutrients.
Submitted by John Liu
This stew is a common Cantonese street food as well as a traditional food to celebrate having a child, meant to aid in postpartum recovery during the period of postnatal confinement. The dish itself is high in calcium and protein and like many other Asian recipes on this list, features a generous amount of ginger for its numerous health benefits
Submitted by Amelia Dare
Despite its name the alcohol used is very minimal as not to impact breastfeeding. The soup is otherwise packed with ingredients like goji berries, ginger, and peanuts that are full of antioxidants and nutrients for postpartum recovery for the mother and child.
Submitted by Sandra Dare
Miso is made of fermented soybeans and is high in folic acid which is essential for DNA production and miso soup with mochi is a traditional new years soup as well.
Submitted by Alan Jones
This recipe has seen use as a postpartum recovery food as far back as the Tang dynasty in China. Seaweed was seen to have natural detoxifying and health benefits, which may be chalked up to the high calcium, iodine and fibre, and has become a symbolic and traditional mainstay in Korean maternal foods. Long seaweed is also symbolic of a long life.
Submitted by Dami Jung
Millet Porridge is a very beneficial and versatile food that can be enjoyed as a sweet or savory dish, with some highlight ingredients like ginger, eggs, and/or goji berries. It's often eaten as a food for recovery after pregnancy as well as surgeries and has many health benefits ranging from aiding in breastfeeding to relieving constipation.
Submitted by Icey Weng
Crucian tofu soup is another soup that's great for lactation and postnatal recovery. It's great as a prenatal food as it contains many nutrients that aid in fetal brain development, and is high in protein for both mother and child.
Submitted by Harley Yu