Bitter Gourd with Minced Meat
Ingredients: 300g bitter gourd, 200g minced meat, 10g kaiyang, 20g water chestnut, 1/2 tablespoon salt, 1/2 tablespoon MSG, sesame oil, 50g each of spring onion, ginger, and garlic, 1 egg, 1 bowl of chicken broth, pepper powder, and cornstarch as needed.
Method: First, cut the bitter gourd into two sections, remove the inner fibrous tissue, and cut into 3 centimeters wide pieces. Then, mix kaiyang, water chestnut, spring onion, ginger, and garlic with the minced meat. Add salt, MSG, pepper powder, and sesame oil and mix well. Then, add beaten egg and cornstarch and mix to form the meat stuffing. Put some cornstarch in the middle of the bitter gourd sections, and stuff the meat stuffing into the gourd. Smooth the surface and steam for 20 minutes. Remove from the steamer and put it in a pot with chicken broth. Cook for another 30 minutes and season before serving.
Characteristics: Bitter gourd has a bitter and cold taste, it can clear heat, relieve summer heat, cool blood, detoxify, nourish the liver, and improve eyesight. It is rich in vitamin C, 10-20 times more than snake gourd, sponge gourd, and sweet melon. In addition, bitter gourd can enhance the immune function of the body and improve acne and skin inflammation.
Dried Rehmannia Stewed Soft-shelled Turtle
Ingredients: 5g dried rehmannia, 5g wolfberry, 8g polygonatum, 150g soft-shelled turtle, 2 teaspoons of wine, 1 teaspoon of salt.
Method: Kill and clean the soft-shelled turtle, blanch it in hot water, and cut it into pieces. Stew it in water for 1 hour. Rinse the herbs with water and put them in a pot. Add the seasonings and stew for 30 minutes over low heat before serving.
Characteristics: In summer, the body is prone to excessive heat, and women, with their yin and blood as the foundation, are more susceptible to damage to yin, blood, and body fluids, resulting in dry skin and dull complexion. Therefore, women's diet in this season should focus on nourishing yin, generating fluids, and nourishing essence and blood. Soft-shelled turtle is nutritious, delicious, and hidden in water. It has the effects of nourishing yin, clearing heat, and cooling blood. It is known as the best among yin-nourishing foods and is most beneficial to women's health. Dried rehmannia nourishes yin and generates fluids, wolfberry nourishes the liver and kidneys, and improves eyesight and dark hair. Polygonatum is cold in nature, has the functions of whitening and removing speckles, and enhances the beauty of the skin. Therefore, this soup is very suitable for women to drink in summer.
Raw Reed Root Porridge
Ingredients: 30g raw reed root, 50g rice.
Method: Wash the reed root and boil it in water to extract the juice. Cook rice porridge until 80% done, then pour in the medicinal juice and cook until fully cooked. This porridge should be consumed immediately and not stored for too long.
Characteristics: Raw reed root is sweet, cold, clears heat, relieves irritability, and harmonizes the stomach. Fresh reed root juice is rich in fluids and is the best for nourishing the stomach. When combined with rice porridge, it can nourish the stomach fluids.
Dendrobium Nobile Moisturizing Tea
Ingredients: 25g fresh dendrobium nobile, 20g fresh rehmannia, 15g fresh reed root, 5 green fruits.
Method: First, boil dendrobium nobile, rehmannia, and reed root in water for 30 minutes, then add the green fruits and let it soak before drinking.
Characteristics: This tea is derived from the famous Chinese medicine formula "Sanxian Tang", and all the ingredients used are fresh, with rich juice and strong moisturizing power. It is especially suitable for people who have insufficient body fluids, dry mouth, and dry tongue in summer.
