According to traditional Chinese medicine, the kidneys are the foundation of our innate constitution. They store essence and are responsible for growth and development. The kidneys utilize qi to support growth and development, and they are closely related to the aging process and reproductive capability. So, what are some foods that can nourish the blood and kidneys?
1. Lychee Meat
Ingredients: 300g pork leg meat, 100g fresh lychee meat, 2 egg whites, 25g cornstarch, 60g sugar, 30g white vinegar, a drop of red food coloring, appropriate amount of salt and cooking wine, 1000g vegetable oil.
Instructions:
(1) Cut the pork leg meat into 2 pieces. Use the back of a knife to tenderize the meat and then cut it into small squares (24 pieces). Add salt, a little egg white, and 15g of cornstarch, mix well and set aside. Cut the fresh lychee meat in half.
(2) Heat the vegetable oil in a pan. When the oil is about 70% hot, fry the pork leg meat until it is cooked inside and crispy on the outside and turns golden yellow.
(3) Remove the oil from the pan, add cooking wine, 100g of water, sugar, white vinegar, salt, and then thicken with the remaining cornstarch mixed with water.
(4) Mix the fried meat and fresh lychee meat together, drizzle with a little cooked oil, and then transfer to a plate.
2. Ginkgo Radish Porridge
Ingredients: 6 ginkgo nuts, 100g white radish, 100g glutinous rice, 50g sugar.
Instructions:
Boil the radish in hot water and set aside. Boil the ginkgo nuts and glutinous rice together, and when the rice is cooked, add the sugar and mix in the radish. Serve.
3. Steamed Ginseng Chicken
Ingredients: 15g ginseng, 1 hen, 10g ham, 10g dried lily bulb, 15g dried shiitake mushrooms, appropriate amount of salt, monosodium glutamate, green onion, ginger, and chicken broth.
Instructions:
(1) Slaughter the hen, remove the feathers and internal organs, blanch it in boiling water, and wash it with cold water. Slice the ham, dried lily bulb, and shiitake mushrooms.
(2) Soak the ginseng in hot water, then steam for 30 minutes and remove.
(3) Wash the hen, place it in a bowl, add ginseng, ham, dried lily bulb, shiitake mushrooms, green onion, ginger, salt, cooking wine, and monosodium glutamate, and add enough chicken broth to cover the chicken. Steam over high heat until tender.
(4) Place the steamed chicken in a large bowl, chop the ginseng into small pieces, and arrange it on top of the chicken along with the ham, dried lily bulb, and shiitake mushrooms.
(5) Pour the soup from steaming the chicken into a saucepan, bring to a boil, skim off any foam, adjust the seasoning, and pour it over the chicken.
4. Tremella Porridge
Ingredients: 20g tremella, 150g glutinous rice, 20g rock sugar.
Instructions:
Soak the tremella in warm water, remove any hard parts and impurities, tear it into small pieces. Wash the glutinous rice.
Put the glutinous rice and tremella in a pot, add an appropriate amount of water, bring to a boil, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add rock sugar and stir until dissolved. Serve.
Tremella porridge has the effects of nourishing yin, moisturizing dryness, generating body fluids, and relieving thirst. It also nourishes the lungs, improves qi and blood circulation, and strengthens the brain and heart.
5. Dang Gui, Ginseng, and Chinese Yam Pork Kidneys
Ingredients: 10g dang gui, 10g ginseng, 10g Chinese yam, 500g pork kidneys, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger slices, minced garlic, and sesame oil.
Instructions:
(1) Cut the pork kidneys open, remove the membranes and glands, wash them, and place them in an aluminum pot.
(2) Put the dang gui, ginseng, and Chinese yam in a cheesecloth bag, tie it tightly, and place it in the aluminum pot.
(3) Add enough water to the pot and simmer until the pork kidneys are fully cooked. Remove the pork kidneys, let them cool, and then slice them thinly and arrange them on a plate.
(4) Mix soy sauce, vinegar, ginger slices, minced garlic, and sesame oil, and toss with the sliced pork kidneys.
6. Five-Spice Beef
Ingredients: 2500g beef, 90g salt, 24g sugar, 60g red soy sauce, 2 pieces of ginger, 1 scallion, cooking wine, fennel seeds, cinnamon, red rice juice.
Instructions:
(1) Select the lean meat from the beef elbow, cut it open along the muscle fibers, and then cut it into pieces of about 500g each. Use the back of a knife to repeatedly rub some salt on the cutting surface until the salt dissolves.
(2) Place the beef in a container and marinate for 3-4 days (1 day in summer), turning it over several times, until the meat turns red, becomes firm, and smells fragrant.
(3) Boil water in a pot (use plenty of water). Add the beef and flip it several times. Remove the beef from the pot and rinse it clean.
(4) Place the beef in the pot, add fennel seeds, cinnamon, scallions, ginger, cooking wine, sugar, soy sauce, and red rice juice.
(5) Bring to a boil over high heat until the beef turns red. Then add enough broth to cover the beef, add salt to taste, cover, and boil.
(6) Reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 hours. When a chopstick can easily penetrate the beef, remove it from the pot. Let it cool and then slice it horizontally along the muscle fibers.
