According to traditional Chinese medicine, "yang deficiency leads to external cold." This means that when the body's yang energy is weak, it cannot resist the invasion of external cold, and a person becomes more susceptible to feeling cold. Winter is a cold season. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that winter nourishment is closely related to balancing yin and yang, promoting meridian circulation, and harmonizing qi and blood. The elderly, due to their declining bodily functions and weakened immune system, are particularly suitable for dietary supplementation during the cold season.
One: Chicken Soup with Bird's Nest
【Ingredients】
30g bird's nest, 30g ham, 1 hen (1.8kg), spring onion, ginger, Shaoxing wine (a small amount).
【Method】
1. Clean the hen and remove the skin. Put it in a clay pot with the ham, add enough water, bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then add spring onion, ginger, and Shaoxing wine. Cook over low heat for 2 hours and set aside.
2. Soak the bird's nest in warm water until soft, rinse with clean water, tear it open along the grain with your hands, remove the feathers with tweezers, rinse with clean water again, put it in a bowl, add the chicken soup, steam for about 20 minutes.
【Benefits】
Nourishes yin, moistens the lungs, invigorates the spleen, and enhances qi.
Two: Steamed Turtle
【Ingredients】
1 turtle (about 500g), 100g lean pork, 150g Shaoxing wine, 5 dried mushrooms, spring onion, ginger slices, minced garlic, refined salt, cornstarch, vegetable oil (appropriate amount).
【Method】
1. Cut off the turtle's head and drain the blood. Cut open the belly and remove the viscera. Rinse and blanch in boiling water until the skin turns white and wrinkled. Transfer to cold water, push off the white material on the belly, feet, and skirt with your hands, scrape off the black material on the back with a knife, and rinse with clean water. Cut the pork into slices, mix with salt and cornstarch, and coat with batter.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan, stir-fry minced garlic and ginger slices until fragrant, add the turtle pieces, stir-fry with salt for a moment, then transfer to a clay bowl, place the pork slices on top of the turtle pieces, add Shaoxing wine and steam for 30 minutes, add mushrooms and steam for another 30 minutes. Add spring onion before serving and simmer for 5 minutes.
【Benefits】
Tonifies the kidneys, nourishes essence, nourishes yin, and promotes blood circulation.
Three: Angelica Ginger Lamb Soup
【Ingredients】
1kg lamb, 60g ginger, 15g angelica, 20g Codonopsis pilosula, 10g wolfberry, spring onion, garlic, Fructus Amomi, cinnamon, refined salt, cooking wine (appropriate amount).
【Method】
Wash the lamb, remove the fascia, blanch in boiling water, remove and cool, cut into 5cm long and 2cm wide strips, put them in a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of clear soup, add ginger slices, angelica, Codonopsis pilosula, wolfberry, spring onion, garlic, Fructus Amomi, cinnamon, refined salt, and cooking wine. Stew until the lamb is tender.
【Benefits】
Tonifies blood, invigorates the spleen, and enhances qi.
Four: Stewed Pig's Feet with Peanuts
【Ingredients】
1 pig's foot with skin, 300g peanuts, 1 Fructus Amomi, shredded ginger, refined salt (appropriate amount).
【Method】
Clean and chop the pig's foot, put it in a clay pot, add enough water, bring to a boil, skim off any impurities. Then add peanuts (soak dried peanuts in water first), Fructus Amomi, shredded ginger, and refined salt. Stew over low heat until tender.
【Benefits】
Tonifies stomach qi, nourishes blood, and moisturizes the skin.
Five: Braised Beef Tendon
【Ingredients】
500g soaked beef tendon, spring onion, soy sauce, salt, sugar, cooking wine, monosodium glutamate, vegetable oil (appropriate amount).
【Method】
1. Remove the tendons and impurities from the beef tendon, cut into 5cm long strips, blanch in boiling water, remove and drain the oil, transfer to a clay pot, add clear soup, soy sauce, salt, sugar, cooking wine, monosodium glutamate, and braise over low heat until the beef tendon is soft and sticky. Then transfer back to an iron pot, simmer over high heat until the sauce thickens, sprinkle with spring onion, drizzle with sesame oil.
【Benefits】
Tonifies the liver and kidneys, strengthens tendons and bones.
