Besides the general advantages accruing from a healthy diet, there are a few Chinese foods specifically linked to improved brain functioning. First and foremost is the ginkgo nut. A greenish-yellow fruit about the size of a cherry, the ginkgo has been known to Chinese herbalists since ancient times.  Written accounts of herbalists using ginkgo as a treatment for senility date back to 2800 BC. Today, scientists believe that ginkgo increases the ability of brain cells to make use of glucose, thereby improving the transmission between the brain's nerve cells. The FDA has approved the use of ginkgo in treating various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer's. Health food stores sell ginkgo tablets as a memory aid. (It is also used in Chinese herbal medicines to treat lung problems and urinary tract infections).

The Ginkgo biloba tree is also of interest to anthropologists and biologists.  Often called "a living fossil" it is possibly the world's oldest living seed plant, dating back to pre-Jurassic times.  In China it is considered to be a sacred plant.

Ginkgo nuts are frequently used in Chinese sweet and savory dishes, including soup and porridge. In addition, roasted ginkgo nuts are often served as a digestive aid at formal banquets.  You will also see them being given away at Chinese weddings, as they are thought to bring good luck. 

We've all heard the phrase 'fish is brain food" and it's true. Fish contains choline, which the brain uses to make acetycholine, needed for the communication between the neurons involved in memory and cognitive reasoning.  Dramatic drops in acetycholine often go hand in hand with memory loss and other signs of Alzheimer's disease. 

With its miles of coastline, fish features prominently in Chinese cuisine. In Chinese cooking it is important that the fish be as fresh as possible. Steaming is a popular method of cooking fish, as is clear-simmering, a process whereby the fish is cooked directly in boiling water (instead of a steamer).  Two other cooking methods are braising and deep-frying.

Cooking Tip: Be sure not to overcook fish.  When in doubt, it is better to undercook rather than overcook fish.

One sight that often disturbs western sensibilities is the sight of a fish being served whole, including the head.  Cookbook author Ken Hom points out that the Chinese believe cooking the fish whole helps it retain its shape and flavor.  Furthermore, serving a fish whole is a symbol of prosperity.

This fish recipe comes courtesy of GourMAsia, Mensa's Oriental cooking SIG. 

Steamed Whole Fish with Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

Serves 4 - to 6 with other dishes

1 whole sea bass or carp weighing about 1 1/2 pounds, gutted and cleaned
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 small red bell pepper, cut in long, thin shreds
2 scallions, shredded into long, thin strips
2 slices ginger, shredded
few drops sesame oil

Directions: Place fish in a heatproof rimmed dish (a glass piepan is ideal) at least 1 inch smaller than the diameter of your steamer (If the fish is too large for the dish, you can let the tail overhang the edge.) Combine sugar, vinegar, broth or water, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Pour evenly over the fish. Scatter pepper, scallion, and ginger shreds on top.

Heat water in the bottom of the steamer to a rolling boil. Place dish in the steamer and cover tightly. Steam over high heat 15 - 20 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil just before serving. (To improvise a steamer using a wok, balance dish on an upside-down cup or mug set on bottom of the wok).

(Reprinted with permission from GourMAsia).