During the dog days of summer, it’s better to eat fennel than coriander or lettuce. Its refreshing and crispy nature is a treasure for your whole body, and eating it regularly is good for your spleen and stomach!
The dog days of summer are the hottest and most humid time of the year, with temperatures often approaching 40 degrees Celsius. It’s so hot that people dare not go out, with not a soul on the streets. In the event of special thunderstorms, the heat can be unbearable. In this climate, there is a lot of physical exertion, and due to excessive sweating, beneficial elements are taken away from the body, making one easily fatigued with a decreased appetite. People gradually lose weight, experiencing what is commonly known as “bitter summer.” During bitter summer, dietary choices are crucial, focusing on cooling and spleen-strengthening foods.
When it comes to cooling and spleen-strengthening foods, people often think of vegetables like coriander and lettuce. While these vegetables are indeed good, there is another lesser-known vegetable that shouldn’t be overlooked. It’s fennel, also known as “small fennel,” a vegetable with a particularly strong aroma. Some people love this taste, while others detest it. Regardless of personal preference, it cannot change the fact that every part of fennel is beneficial. Its seeds can be used as seasoning, and its tender shoots are excellent vegetables rich in various vitamins, carotenes, calcium, potassium, and other minerals. Consuming fennel can help dispel coldness, aid digestion, strengthen the spleen, remove dampness, and promote digestion.
Therefore, the dog days of summer are the best time to eat fennel. Fennel is refreshing and crispy, suitable for cold salads, stir-fries, and fillings. Whichever way it’s prepared, it’s particularly delicious and appetizing. Today, let’s share three delicious ways to prepare fennel.
First method: Fennel Salad with Peanuts
Main ingredients: Fennel, peanuts, goji berries.
Seasoning: Salt, star anise, bay leaves, sesame oil, garlic, oyster sauce, peppercorns.
Steps: 1. Wash the peanuts, soak for a while, then rinse and cook in a pot with water, star anise, bay leaves, and salt. Boil over high heat, then simmer until tender.
2. While cooking the peanuts, wash and cut the fennel into small pieces, drain excess water, and place in a plate. Mix sesame oil, minced garlic, oyster sauce, and peppercorns for dressing.
3. Once the peanuts are cooked, drain them and add fennel. Pour in the dressing, mix well, sprinkle with goji berries, and serve.
Second method: Steamed Egg with Fennel and Shrimp
Main ingredients: Fennel, eggs, shrimp.
Seasoning: Salt, vinegar, soy sauce, scallions, ginger, cooking wine.
Steps: 1. Thaw the shrimp, marinate with scallions, ginger, and cooking wine to remove any fishy smell. Wash and chop the fennel, beat the eggs in a bowl, add vinegar to remove the smell, then mix in salt and set aside.
2. Mix warm water with the eggs, pour over the fennel, steam in a pot for 6 minutes until set. Add marinated shrimp, continue steaming for about 8 minutes, then turn off the heat.
3. Once the eggs are fully cooked, remove from heat, drizzle with a little soy sauce, and enjoy the simple, refreshing, and delicious dish.
Third method: Fennel and Pork Dumplings
Main ingredients: Fennel, pork, dumpling wrappers.
Seasoning: Salt, scallions, ginger, peppercorns, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro.
Steps: 1. Clean the pork, chop into small pieces, blend in a food processor with salt, scallions, ginger, peppercorns, and soy sauce. Wash and chop the fennel, mix into the meat mixture, and adjust seasoning.
2. Fill the dumpling wrappers with the filling to make dumplings using your preferred method.
3. Boil water in a pot, season with salt, add the dumplings, cook until they float, then remove and sprinkle with cilantro and a few drops of sesame oil.
That concludes the three delicious methods for preparing fennel. Have any other great suggestions for cooking fennel? Feel free to share in the comments section. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for more culinary updates. If you found this information useful, please like and share to help more people discover it. Don’t forget to follow for more content. See you tomorrow!
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