In the dog days of summer, it is the hottest period of the year, with the middle dog days being the hottest. Moving around causes sweating all over the body, also the time of greatest physical expenditure. There’s an old saying, “If you don’t nourish during the middle dog days, you’ll suffer in autumn and winter.” According to our traditional dietary habits, it’s necessary to nourish the body during the dog days.
During this time, if you consume too many cold foods, it is not beneficial for the body, and various health issues may arise in autumn and winter. For good health, whether rich or poor, we all need to remember to “eat 3 meats, 2 melons” during the middle dog days to pass through the dog days smoothly, have a stable summer, and a healthier autumn and winter!
1: Duck Meat
As the saying goes, “Eat chicken in the first dog days, duck in the second,” duck meat is the first choice for nourishment in summer. It is rich in nutrients, delicious, and does not cause heatiness. It is an essential meat for nourishing the body during the middle dog days.
【Beer Duck】Ingredients: Half a duck, a little spring onion, half an onion, a few slices of ginger, a few grains of Sichuan peppercorn, a few star anise, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 bottle of beer, salt to taste, 1 tablespoon of peanut oil.
1. Heat the pan, add peanut oil, directly pour in the blanched duck pieces, stir-fry until the duck meat turns white and releases its juices. Then add all the seasonings and continue stir-frying until the spring onion, ginger, Sichuan peppercorn, and star anise release their aroma.
2. Pour in the dark soy sauce, stir briefly, then pour in the bottle of beer, bring to a boil over high heat, add a little salt for seasoning, cover and continue to simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. Thicken the sauce, garnish with chopped spring onion, and it’s ready.
2: Fish Meat
Fish meat is the most suitable meat to eat during the dog days of summer. 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 for nourishment during the middle dog days!
【Grass Carp Fish Soup with Tofu】Ingredients: Grass carp fish, 1 block of tofu, green onion segments, ginger slices, a little salt, pepper, cooking wine, peanut oil, coriander segments.
1. Gut and clean the grass carp fish, cut into pieces. Heat peanut oil in a pan, then add the fish pieces to sear, transfer them to a clay pot, add green onion segments, ginger slices, and enough boiling water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the broth turns white. Add the tofu pieces and continue simmering for another 5 minutes. Season with salt, monosodium glutamate, and pepper, garnish with coriander segments before serving.
3: Beef
Beef is a type of meat that contains high-quality protein, very nutritious, and eating more won’t make you gain weight. It is very suitable for nourishment during the dog days of summer. Beef is fantastic for nourishment during the dog days and summer.
【Carrot Beef Stew】Ingredients: Beef, carrots, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, bay leaf, spring onion, ginger, dark soy sauce, hawthorn slice, salt, peanut oil.
1. Cut the beef shank into large pieces, blanch in water and remove. Heat peanut oil in another pot, add star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, bay leaf, spring onion, ginger, stir-fry until fragrant. Add the beef and stir-fry until colored, then add dark soy sauce and stir evenly.
2. Pour in boiling water, bring to a boil over high heat, add a little salt for seasoning, reduce to low heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Add carrot pieces and continue simmering for 15 minutes. Serve hot.
For the middle dog days, eat 2 melons:
1: Cucumber
Cucumber is highly recommended in the dog days of summer, being one of the most popular vegetables. It not only helps replenish body fluids but also has a cooling effect. It can be used to make simple and delicious dishes and is refreshing and tasty.
【Cucumber Salad with Tofu Skin】Ingredients: Tofu skin, cucumber, garlic, light soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, salt.
1. Grate the cucumber into fine shreds, blanch the tofu skin strips in boiling water, then cool in cold water. Combine the cucumber and tofu skin in a bowl.
2. Crush the garlic into a paste in a small bowl, add salt, light soy sauce, vinegar, mix well, then pour over the cucumber and tofu skin, toss gently until well combined, serve on a plate.
2: Bitter Gourd
As the saying goes, “Eating bitter in summer is better than nourishing.” In the scorching days of the dog days, bitter gourd is a healthy vegetable that cannot be ignored. Although the bitterness of bitter gourd may not be pleasing to all, it pairs well with any other vegetable without altering the taste. It is known as the “gentleman’s vegetable,” and eating bitter gourd during the dog days is excellent for cooling off the body.
【Cold Bitter Gourd Salad】Ingredients: Bitter gourd, 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 the bitter gourd, remove the seeds, slice thinly. Blanch the bitter gourd slices in boiling water, then transfer to cold water to cool completely. Drain and place in a large bowl.
2. Crush the garlic and place in a small bowl, add light soy sauce, vinegar, a little salt, mix well to create a dressing. Pour the dressing over the prepared bitter gourd slices, toss to combine, serve on a plate.
Final Words:
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