Dried Chinese Yam (Shan Yao) | (100g)

About

Shan Yao, known in English as Chinese Yam, is a gentle, slightly sweet tuber and a long-standing staple in kitchens and herbal traditions across East Asia. Its mild flavour and starchy texture make it well suited to soups, stews, porridges and herbal blends, where it adds body without taking over the other ingredients.

This 100g pack is a practical size to start with. It works in a simple broth, stirred into morning congee, or simmered into a herbal tea.

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Potential Benefits

• Traditional Heritage: Shan Yao is one of the most widely used ingredients in Chinese cooking and herbal practice, and appears in many classical combinations.
• Naturally Sweet: Traditional texts describe its flavour as sweet, and it carries a mild, clean sweetness in a finished dish.
• Balance: In traditional classification it is described as neutral, and belongs among the gentler herbs.
• Distinctive Texture: The starchy slices soften into a creamy thickness that gives congee and slow-cooked soups their body.
• Versatile: It suits savoury and sweet cooking alike, from stews and stir-fries to yam paste and sweet dumplings.

Recommended Dosage

We recommend around 10g per portion. Rehydrate the slices first by soaking in water until soft and pliable, then use as you like.

• Soups and stews: Adds mild sweetness and a starchy body. Common in traditional herbal soups alongside vegetables and other herbs.
• Stir-fries: Slice or dice and add to stir-fried vegetables and proteins for texture.
• Congee or porridge: Cook with rice or other grains for a creamy, thick texture and a subtle sweetness.
• Desserts: Steam or boil, then mash and sweeten to make yam paste or yam balls for pastries, cakes and sweet dumplings.
• Herbal teas and infusions: Simmer in water, alone or combined with other herbs.

Store sealed in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Other Formats of This Herb

Shan Yao is stocked in three forms:

• This 100g pack is the sliced dried root, ready to soak and cook with
• Dried Chinese Yam (Shan Yao) | 500g the same sliced root in the bulk pack
• Shan Yao Concentrated Granules | 100g bottle dissolves in hot water in seconds, though it cannot be cooked with

What to Cook It With

Shan Yao is one of a group of mild, starchy ingredients traditionally cooked together in congee and tonic soups. All are stocked here in matching 100g packs:

• Dried Lotus Seeds (Bai Lian Zi) | 100g the closest partner to Shan Yao in this group
• Dried Euryale Seeds (Qian Shi) | 100g almost always used alongside lotus seed and yam
• Dried Coix Seeds (Yi Yi Ren) | 100g the fourth ingredient in the classic combination
• Dried Jujube Dates (Hong Zao) | 100g added for natural sweetness in slow-cooked soups

Why Choose Vita?

At Vita Herbal Nutrition, we focus on providing high-quality herbs, carefully chosen for the kitchen and for traditional preparation.

We are proud to offer a 100% sulphur-free range. Sulphur is widely used in the industry to improve appearance and extend shelf life, but it alters the natural composition of the herb and may cause allergic reactions in some individuals. You can read more on our non-sulphur treated herbs page.

We follow the DaoDi principle of choosing each herb from the area traditionally associated with it, and we have worked with the same supply partners since 2010.

FAQ

What does Chinese Yam taste like?
Mild and lightly sweet with a faint starchy quality. Its subtlety makes it well suited to pairing with other flavours rather than standing on its own.

How do I prepare it?
Soak the slices in warm water until soft, then add to soups, congee, stir-fries or desserts. For a long-simmered soup it can go in dry.

How long does it take to rehydrate?
Around 20 to 30 minutes in warm water is usually enough for the slices to soften.

Can I use it in sweet dishes?
Yes. Steamed and mashed, it becomes the base for yam paste and yam balls used in Chinese pastries and sweet dumplings.

What is the difference between the 100g and 500g packs?
Only the quantity. Both are the same sliced root, so the 500g pack is simply the bulk option.

How should I store it?
Sealed, in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.