Dog Days, refers to the hottest and most humid, sultry period of the year. During this special time, many people may experience a loss of appetite and fatigue. As the saying goes: “It’s better to supplement the body with food than with medicine,” the right food choices can not only help us withstand the heat but also nourish the body and enhance our constitution.
Now, during the scorching Dog Days, there’s an old saying: “Nourish throughout summer,” so what should we eat during this time to supplement our health? Today, I’m sharing a few dishes that are suitable for eating during the Dog Days. Regardless of how busy you are, don’t forget to eat these three things to nourish your body and get through the Dog Days smoothly.
Firstly, Lamb
Many people believe that eating lamb in winter can drive away the cold and keep warm, but actually, eating lamb during the Dog Days also has unique nourishing effects.
Traditional Chinese medicine suggests that eating lamb in the summer can “use heat to combat heat, promote sweating and detoxification.” Lamb is warm in nature, can warm the middle, strengthen the spleen, and boost kidney yang. For those with a cold constitution and insufficient yang energy, moderate consumption of lamb during the Dog Days can improve the body’s cold condition.
Recommended Recipe: 【Clear Soup Lamb Hot Pot】
1. Prepare about one pound of fresh lamb, cut it into long strips and then into large pieces. Take one ear of sweet corn, cut it into thick slices and then halve it, and cut one root of yam into rolling pieces and soak these in clean water.
2. Cut half a stalk of green onion into diagonal slices, slice a piece of ginger, put them together into a bowl, and add two slices of angelica for later use. Also, add a small handful of goji berries and soak them in clean water.
3. Add an appropriate amount of clean water to a pot, add a spoonful of salt to enhance the base flavor. Once the water boils, add the yam pieces, stir a few times with a spoon; blanching the yam can remove the sticky residue. Cook on medium heat for two minutes, then add the corn and continue boiling for another minute, then scoop out and drain the water.
4. In a fresh pot, add clean water and add the lamb after the water is cold, along with a splash of cooking wine to remove the gamey smell. Once the water boils, stir a few times to ensure even heating, cook on medium heat for two minutes, skim off the foam using a spoon, and scoop out with a slotted spoon into a clay pot, adding an appropriate amount of boiling water.
5. Add the green onion, ginger, and angelica, cover the pot, turn up the heat to bring it to a boil, then lower to a simmer for an hour after the water has boiled.
6. After 30 minutes, remove the ginger and onion, cover the pot and continue simmering for another 30 minutes. After the time is up, add the yam and corn, and simmer for 15 minutes before starting to season.
7. Season to taste with salt, a spoonful of chicken essence, and a pinch of pepper, stirring to dissolve the seasonings, then turn off the heat and serve in a soup bowl, garnished with goji berries, coriander, and garlic chives. Deliciously done.
Secondly, Chicken
Chicken is a common nutritious ingredient and also a good choice for nourishing during the Dog Days. Chicken is rich in high-quality protein, amino acids, and various vitamins and minerals, providing warmth and energy, and nourishing essence and marrow.
Whether steamed chicken or chicken soup, it can provide rich nutrition for the body.
