Donkey-Hide Gelatin Tonic Paste (Gu Yuan Gao)

Why people make this paste

A friend of mine had a run-down constitution — often dizzy, with sore lower back, easily cold, and catching colds at the drop of a hat. She had bought a box of donkey-hide gelatin (e jiao) but had no idea how to use it. To help build her up steadily, I suggested turning it into a sweet paste with a few nourishing add-ins, taken a spoonful or two a day. The ingredients are simple, but the making takes patience. For women especially, this paste is a well-loved traditional tonic — taken regularly it is associated with a brighter complexion and with nourishing yin and blood.