In the scorching summer, the dog days of summer quietly arrive, under the scorching heat, the human body seems to be placed in a huge steamer, sweat becomes our closest “companion,” frequently taking away the body’s water and minerals, especially potassium elements. Potassium, as a key mineral for maintaining normal heart rhythm, regulating blood pressure, promoting muscle contraction, and nerve conduction, is easily lost after heavy sweating, leading to fatigue and weakness, aching legs and feet. Therefore, during the dog days, in addition to timely rehydrating, it is particularly important to consume foods rich in potassium elements. Today, let’s explore together five high-potassium vegetables. They can not only effectively replenish the lost potassium in the body but also make your legs and feet more energetic, your body healthier, and easily enjoy the summer!
1. Yardlong Beans – Yardlong Bean Salad
Preparation:
1. Add enough water to a pot. After boiling over high heat, add a little salt to enhance the bright green color of the yardlong beans. Put the cut yardlong bean pieces into the pot, keep it on high heat. After the water boils again, time for about 5 minutes to ensure that the yardlong beans are fully cooked. Remove the blanched yardlong beans with a slotted spoon and quickly transfer them into cold water to cool down to maintain their crisp and tender texture and drain excess water. Arrange the drained yardlong beans neatly on a plate.
2. In a small bowl, add minced garlic, dried chili segments, and white sesame seeds to prepare for drizzling hot oil to create a fragrant aroma. Heat an appropriate amount of cooking oil in a pot until it starts to smoke, then quickly drizzle the hot oil evenly over the garlic, dried chili, and white sesame seeds to instantly create a rich fragrance. Next, add a little salt to the bowl (note that salt was added during blanching, so reduce the amount here), a small amount of sugar for freshness, 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce for savory taste, and 1 tablespoon of vinegar for flavor balance. Use chopsticks or a spoon to mix well.
3. Pour the prepared seasoning evenly over the yardlong beans on the plate, ensuring that each bean is coated with the flavorful sauce. Finally, gently mix with chopsticks to enhance the flavor and serve.
2. Edamame – Garlic Edamame with Carrots
Preparation:
1. First, carefully select and prepare all the necessary ingredients, including garlic, carrots, edamame, and green peppers. Wash them and cut them into appropriate sizes – cut the carrots into cubes, slice the green peppers, mince the garlic finely, and set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a pot. When the oil temperature rises slightly, gently add the minced garlic to the pot. Sauté over low heat until golden brown, releasing a rich garlic aroma. Then add the diced carrots to the pot, quickly stir-fry a few times to evenly coat the carrots with oil. Next, add the edamame and continue to stir-fry until the edamame and carrots become more vibrant in color, indicating they are becoming softer and cooked.
3. When the vegetables are almost cooked, add a small spoonful of salt to season, drizzle in a spoon of light soy sauce, gently mix well to ensure each vegetable piece absorbs the delicious soy sauce. Pay attention to the cooking time to avoid burning. When the vegetables are almost fully cooked, gently add the sliced green peppers, stir-fry quickly for a few more seconds. Note not to add the green peppers too early to avoid overcooking and darkening the color of the dish.
4. Finally, add a spoonful of sesame oil to the pot, stir-fry evenly to let the aroma of the sesame oil permeate into each ingredient, enhancing the overall flavor of the dish. Once all ingredients are cooked and well-seasoned, turn off the heat, dish out this colorful and flavorful dish, and enjoy!
3. Celery – Stir-Fried Pork with Celery
Preparation:
1. First, wash the fresh celery, removing the leaves, and cut them into even small sections. Wash and deseed the red pepper, cut it into thin strips, peel a few cloves of garlic, mince them finely, and set aside.
2. Select tender pork tenderloin and slice it thinly. Add a little salt to the meat slices for seasoning, a spoon of cooking wine to remove odor and enhance flavor, a spoon of light soy sauce for color and flavor, and finally a spoon of starch to lock in the meat juices. Gently mix by hand to let the meat slices absorb the seasonings thoroughly, then set aside to marinate for 15 minutes to enrich the flavor.
3. Heat a pot with some cooking oil over medium heat until the oil is moderately hot. Slide the marinated pork slices into the pot. Quickly stir-fry until the meat changes color and is almost cooked. Then scoop out the meat slices with a strainer or spatula and set aside in a plate.
4. Heat a little oil in the same pot, wait until the oil temperature rises, then add the remaining minced garlic. Sauté over low heat until the garlic releases a rich aroma. Add the celery pieces and red pepper strips to the pot, stir-fry over high heat until the vegetables are slightly tender and more vibrant in color. Season with a little salt to taste according to personal preference, stir-fry for a few more seconds to distribute the salt evenly.
5. Finally, return the previously cooked meat slices to the pot, stir-fry with celery and red pepper strips. To enhance the overall flavor, add another spoon of light soy sauce for freshness and a little chicken stock to increase the deliciousness of the dish. Stir-fry quickly to ensure all ingredients are coated with the seasonings and flavors fully blend. Once done, turn off the heat, dish out this delicious celery and red pepper stir-fried pork, and enjoy!
4. Seaweed – Seaweed Egg Drop Soup
Preparation:
1. First, add an appropriate amount of water to a pot and bring it to a boil. Gently place the prepared seaweed into the boiling water and cook for about two minutes, allowing the seaweed to soften fully and release its natural ocean flavor.
2. Next, add some shredded ginger to the pot to add a fresh aroma and help warm the stomach. Then, according to personal taste, gradually add a suitable amount of salt, pepper, and chicken stock for seasoning, making the soup base more rich and full. Finally, add a spoon of light soy sauce, gently stir well to add an enticing soy aroma to the soup.
3. While keeping the soup slightly simmering, slowly pour the beaten eggs into the pot in a thin stream. To prevent egg clumping, gently swirl the soup with chopsticks or a spoon as you pour, ensuring the egg mixture is evenly dispersed, forming delicate egg flower patterns.
4. Once the egg flowers are completely set and floating on the surface of the soup, turn off the heat. Finally, sprinkle some fresh green onions as a garnish, enhancing the color of the dish and adding a fresh aroma to the seaweed egg drop soup, making it more appealing. Thus, a simple and delicious seaweed egg drop soup is complete.
5. Amaranth – Garlic Stir-Fried White Amaranth
Preparation:
1. First, soak the amaranth in lightly salted water for a while to remove any impurities and pesticides. Then rinse the amaranth thoroughly with clean water twice to ensure it is clean and free of sand.
2. Cut the cleaned amaranth into one-inch segments, making it evenly heated and flavored when cooking. Also, crush the garlic and mince it finely, setting aside half for later.
3. Heat the pot over medium-low heat to evenly heat the bottom. Pour in some cooking oil and wait until the oil is slightly warm, then add half of the minced garlic. Stir-fry gently until the garlic turns slightly yellow and releases a rich garlic aroma.
4. Next, add the stem parts of the cut amaranth to the pot and quickly stir-fry for about 30 seconds. This step is to soften the amaranth stems first to prepare for subsequent stir-frying with the vegetable leaves.
5. After the amaranth stems are softened, quickly add the remaining leafy parts of the vegetable to the pot, and stir-fry with the stems evenly. Adjust the heat to speed up the cooking process while maintaining the vibrant green color of the vegetables.
6. Sprinkle a suitable amount of salt into the pot, adjust to taste. Then, scatter the remaining half of minced garlic reserved earlier into the pot, stir-fry quickly to blend the garlic flavor with the amaranth. Once all ingredients are cooked and fragrant, turn off the heat, dish out, and serve this flavorful garlic stir-fried white amaranth.
