Introduction: “Eat a melon in August, no need for herbal medicine”: Remember to eat after the beginning of the hot season, clears heat, relieves summer heat, eliminates dampness, and detoxifies
In traditional Chinese dietary culture, a popular saying is deeply ingrained in people’s minds: “Eat a melon in August, no need for herbal medicine.” This saying not only reflects people’s trust in natural ingredients but also contains a wealth of health wisdom.
As the summer progresses, especially after the beginning of the hot season, the weather becomes increasingly hot, and the human body is susceptible to dampness and summer heat. Choosing appropriate ingredients to eat at this time can eliminate dampness, detoxify, and reduce swelling. The multiple benefits and delicious preparation methods of winter melon, a prime product of the summer season, allow you to enjoy delicious food while also safeguarding your health.
One. Winter Melon: A Natural Medicine for Summer
Winter melon, as a seasonal vegetable in summer, is not only delicious but also of high nutritional value. It has a slightly cold nature, a mild taste, clears heat, promotes urination, reduces swelling, and detoxifies and nourishes the face. In the hot summer, winter melon has become a common presence on people’s dining tables. Its unique cooling properties effectively alleviate discomfort caused by summer heat, help eliminate excess water and toxins, and reduce swelling.
Winter melon contains abundant vitamin C, vitamin B1, dietary fiber, carotene, as well as minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, iron, etc., enhancing immunity and promoting intestinal peristalsis.
Two. Delicious Winter Melon Recipes
Winter melon can be cooked in various ways, whether stir-fried, stewed, boiled, or used as a filling, it can showcase its unique charm. Below, I will introduce several simple and easy-to-learn winter melon recipes, allowing you to fully utilize the health value of winter melon while enjoying delicious food.
1. Winter Melon Buns
Ingredients: 500g medium gluten flour, 3g yeast, 10g granulated sugar, 500g winter melon, 500g pork belly, salt, soybean paste, sweet bean paste, light soy sauce, thirteen-spice powder, ginger, ground pepper, cooking oil.
Method:
In the flour, add yeast, granulated sugar, and water to knead into a smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap and ferment until doubled in size.
Peel and dice the winter melon, dice the pork belly, and chop the ginger.
In a hot pan, stir-fry the pork belly and ginger until the fat is rendered. Add soybean paste, sweet bean paste, light soy sauce, thirteen-spice powder, salt, and ground pepper for seasoning and stir-fry until the pork belly is colored.
Mix the cooled diced pork belly with the winter melon, chopped scallions evenly to make the filling.
Knead the smooth dough, divide it into small dough pieces, roll them into wrappers, wrap the filling, and shape them into buns.
Place the buns in a steamer, let them ferment for 10 minutes, then steam over high heat for 15 minutes.
Tips: Cut the winter melon into small dices to ensure the buns cook easily. During the steaming process, fermenting the buns a second time makes them more fluffy and delicious.
2. Winter Melon Stewed Pork Ribs
Ingredients: 500g winter melon, 500g pork ribs, ginger slices, scallion slices, Chinese wolfberries, salt, chicken essence, ground pepper.
Method:
Clean the pork ribs, soak in water with salt to remove blood, blanch with ginger slices and scallion slices to remove the gamy smell.
Peel and remove the seeds of the winter melon, cut into thick slices.
In a pot, add pork ribs, ginger slices, scallion slices, enough water, bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the foam, reduce to low heat and stew for 40 minutes.
Add the winter melon slices, continue to stew over low heat for 20 minutes, until winter melon is soft.
Season with Chinese wolfberries, salt, chicken essence, and ground pepper according to personal taste.
Tips: Stewing at low heat allows the nutrients of the pork ribs and winter melon to release fully, making the broth more delicious.
3. Chicken Broth Braised Winter Melon
Ingredients: 500g winter melon, 1 red chili, garlic cloves, thinly sliced pork or diced pork, chicken broth, salt, light soy sauce, sesame oil.
Method:
Peel and finely dice the winter melon, slice the red chili, slice the garlic, slice or dice the pork, set aside.
Heat oil in a pan, stir-fry the diced pork until it changes color, add the diced winter melon and quickly stir-fry to let the winter melon absorb the flavor of the meat.
Pour in enough chicken broth, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for about 6 minutes to let the winter melon fully absorb the broth.
Add red chili slices, garlic slices, salt, light soy sauce, and sesame oil for seasoning, stir-fry quickly and then serve.
Tips: Adding chicken broth makes this dish more delicious and also enhances the nutritional value of winter melon.
Three. Conclusion
“Eat a melon in August, no need for herbal medicine,” not only praises the benefits of winter melon but also summarizes the wisdom of summer dietary habits. After the beginning of the hot season, eating more winter melon not only clears heat, relieves summer heat, eliminates dampness, detoxifies, reduces swelling, promotes urination but also allows you to enjoy its rich nutritional value and delicious taste. Have you tried it?
