Here’s a guide to Traditional Chinese Confinement Food Recipes, specially curated to help new moms recover after childbirth. These meals follow TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) principles — warming the body, replenishing lost blood, and strengthening overall vitality.

What Is Chinese Confinement Food?

Confinement meals are part of postpartum recovery (坐月子, zuò yuè zi) — typically observed for 30 to 40 days. These recipes emphasize:

• Warm ingredients (e.g., ginger, sesame oil, rice wine)
• No raw or cold foods
• Blood and qi replenishment (via herbs and protein)
• Easy digestion and nutrient-rich soups

Top Traditional Chinese Confinement Recipes

1. Sesame Oil Chicken (麻油鸡)

A classic and nourishing confinement dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (cut into pieces)
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 8–10 slices old ginger
• 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat sesame oil in a wok and sauté ginger until aromatic.
2. Add chicken pieces and stir-fry until lightly browned.
3. Pour in rice wine and add a bit of water.
4. Simmer for 25–30 minutes until chicken is tender.

Benefits: Warms the uterus, aids blood circulation, dispels “wind.”

2. Black Vinegar Trotters with Ginger (猪脚姜醋)

A popular dish to replenish calcium and collagen.

Ingredients:

• 2–3 pig trotters (blanched)
• 400g old ginger (smashed)
• 1 bottle black sweet vinegar
• 200ml water
• Rock sugar to taste
• Optional: 3 boiled eggs

Instructions:

1. Fry ginger in sesame oil until fragrant.
2. Add vinegar, water, and sugar; bring to a boil.
3. Add trotters and simmer 1.5–2 hours until soft.
4. Add boiled eggs during the last 15 minutes.

Benefits: Strengthens bones, nourishes blood, reduces postpartum aches.

3. Dang Gui Chicken Soup (当归鸡汤)

A herbal soup for boosting blood and energy.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken drumsticks or thighs
• 10g Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis)
• 5g red dates
• 5g goji berries
• 1 slice ginger
• 1L water

Instructions:

1. Blanch chicken briefly in boiling water.
2. Place all ingredients in a pot with water.
3. Simmer for 1.5–2 hours over low heat.

Benefits: Replenishes blood, balances hormones, improves circulation.

4. Fish & Papaya Soup (木瓜鱼汤)

Excellent for enhancing breast milk production.

Ingredients:

• 1 small green papaya (peeled and sliced)
• 1 whole fish (tilapia or threadfin)
• 3 slices ginger
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Pan-fry fish until lightly browned.
2. Add ginger, papaya, and water (1.5L); bring to boil.
3. Simmer for 45–60 minutes.

Benefits: Boosts lactation, rich in protein and nutrients.

5. Stir-Fried Liver with Ginger & Wine (姜酒炒猪肝)

Ingredients:

• 200g pork liver (thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 4–5 slices ginger
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• Light soy sauce & salt

Instructions:

1. Stir-fry ginger in sesame oil.
2. Add liver and cook quickly over high heat.
3. Add rice wine and seasonings, stir well.

Benefits: Replenishes iron and blood lost during delivery.

Final Tips for Confinement Cooking

• Use sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and rice wine generously.
• Avoid cooling foods like cucumber, bitter melon, or cold drinks.
• Choose slow-cooked soups and stews that are gentle on digestion.

• Include TCM-approved herbs like Dang Gui, red dates, and wolfberries.