“Not nourishing during Midsummer, suffering in autumn and winter”, regardless of whether you have money or not, always remember to “eat 3 meats, 2 melons,” and wish for health during the stifling heat and a smooth passage through summer!
The Midsummer period is the hottest time of the year, with the most scorching heat during Midsummer, where one sweats profusely and it is a time of maximum body expenditure. There is an old saying “Not nourishing during Midsummer, suffering in autumn and winter”. According to our traditional dietary habits, nourishment is needed during the Midsummer period.
If too much cold food is consumed during this period, various problems may arise in autumn and winter. For the sake of health, whether rich or poor, we must remember to “eat 3 meats, 2 melons” during Midsummer to safely pass through the hottest days, smoothly transitioning to summer, and being healthier in autumn and winter!
1: Duck Meat
There is a saying “Eat chicken in the first ten days of the Midsummer, eat duck in the next ten days,” implying that duck meat is the preferred choice for nourishment in summer, being nutritious, delicious, and non-heaty, a meat that shouldn’t be missed during Midsummer.
[Beer Duck] Ingredients: Half a duck, a little spring onion, half an onion, a few slices of ginger, a few grains of peppercorn, a few star anise, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 bottle of beer, salt as needed, 1 tablespoon of peanut oil.
1. Heat the pot and add peanut oil, then stir-fry the blanched duck pieces until they release oil and turn white. Add all ingredients and continue stir-frying until the aroma of spring onion, ginger, peppercorn, and star anise comes out.
2. Add dark soy sauce and stir-fry, then pour in the bottle of beer and bring to a boil. Add a little salt for seasoning, cover and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. Remove from heat when the sauce thickens, sprinkle with chopped spring onion, and it’s ready.
2: Fish Meat
Fish meat is the most suitable meat to eat during the Midsummer period, as fish is rich in nutrients and loved by both the elderly and children. A simple fish soup is as nourishing as milk. Don’t forget to eat fish meat during Midsummer for health!
[Grass Carp Fish with Tofu] Ingredients: Grass carp fish, 1 block of tofu, scallion segments, ginger slices, a little salt, pepper, cooking wine, peanut oil, coriander segments.
1. Slaughter and clean the grass carp fish, chop into pieces, heat peanut oil in a pot, fry the fish pieces briefly, then transfer to a clay pot along with scallion segments and ginger slices. Add boiling water and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the broth turns white, then add tofu pieces and continue simmering for another 5 minutes. Season with salt, monosodium glutamate, and pepper, sprinkle with coriander segments before serving.
3: Beef
Beef is a meat rich in high-quality protein and nutrients, eating it in abundance won’t cause weight gain, making it ideal for nourishment during the Midsummer period. Nourishing with beef during Midsummer is excellent.
[Carrot Stewed Beef] Ingredients: Beef in amounts, 1 carrot, star anise, peppercorn, bay leaf, scallion, ginger, dark soy sauce, a slice of hawthorn, salt, peanut oil.
1. Cut the beef shank into large chunks, blanch in water and remove. Heat peanut oil in another pot, sauté star anise, peppercorn, bay leaf, scallion, and ginger, then add beef and stir-fry until colored, adding dark soy sauce to color evenly.
2. Add boiling water, bring to a boil over high heat, season with a little salt, then simmer over low heat for about 1 hour. Add carrot pieces and continue simmering for 15 minutes. Serve hot.
For Midsummer, eat 2 melons:
1: Cucumber
Cucumber is highly recommended during Midsummer, being one of the most popular vegetables during the hottest days. It helps replenish the body’s moisture and has a cooling effect, making it a simple and delicious dish.
[Cucumber with Tofu Skin] Ingredients: Tofu skin in amounts, 1 cucumber, a little garlic, a little light soy sauce, a little vinegar, a little sesame oil, a little salt.
1. Shred the cucumber, slice the tofu skin into shreds and blanch in boiling water, then cool in cold water. Put them in a bowl.
2. Crush garlic into a paste, mix with salt, light soy sauce, and vinegar in a bowl, then pour over the cucumber and tofu skin mixture, toss well, and serve.
2: Bitter Melon
There is a saying “Bitter melon in summer is better than nourishment,” during the scorching summer days of the Midsummer period, bitter melon is a must-have healthy vegetable. Although the bitterness of bitter melon may not be likable, it pairs well with any vegetables without mixing bitter tastes, earning the title of “gentleman’s vegetable”. Eating bitter melon during Midsummer is excellent for cooling off.
[Cold Bitter Melon Salad] Ingredients: 1 bitter melon, half a head of garlic, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, a little salt, half a tablespoon of light soy sauce, a few drops of sesame oil.
1. Wash and deseed the bitter melon, slice thinly, blanch in boiling water, then cool in cold water. Drain and place in a large bowl.
2. Crush garlic and mix with light soy sauce, vinegar, a little salt. Pour over the bitter melon slices and mix well. Serve cold.
Author’s words:
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