Three Ways to Eat Lamb in Winter to Replenish Qi and Nourish Deficiency.

In "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Lamb can warm the middle, tonify deficiency, supplement the middle and boost Qi, stimulate the appetite and strengthen the body, benefit kidney Qi, nourish the gallbladder and brighten the eyes, and treat deficiency-cold, the five labors and seven injuries". Traditional Chinese medicine believes that lamb is sweet in taste and warm in nature, with effects such as warming the middle to dispel cold, warming and supplementing Qi and blood, and tonifying the kidneys and strengthening Yang. It is one of the best nourishing foods for winter. Lamb can be prepared in many ways, and the nourishing effects of different methods vary. Let's introduce them specifically below:

Braised Lamb

Braising, stewing, steaming

These cooking methods can maximize the retention of nutrients, and the nourishing effect is the best. When stewing soup, first simmer some lamb leg bones and backbone bones over high heat for half an hour to make a milky white soup. Remove the bones, then put the washed lamb into the pot, add scallions and ginger, and simmer over low heat. If using a clay pot for stewing, the flavor will be even better.

Tip: Friends who love eating meat can choose braising and steaming, as the nutrients of the lamb are basically still in the meat. Those who love drinking soup can choose stewed lamb, as the soup at this point is the essence. With these two methods, you can nourish your body while also satisfying your palate.

Hot Pot Lamb

When cooking lamb in a hot pot, adding tofu can reduce the heatiness of the lamb. Because tofu is sweet in taste and cool in nature, it has the effect of promoting body fluids and detoxifying. When cooked with lamb, it can tonify the spleen and benefit the stomach, clear heat and toxins, while playing a certain buffering role against the "dry tonification" of the lamb. In terms of tofu varieties, traditionally made tofu is the best choice, with northern tofu coagulated with brine being particularly ideal. Frozen tofu does not lose its nutrients and also tastes great in a hot pot. Although silken tofu has a soft and smooth texture, its nutritional value is slightly lower than traditional tofu.

Effects: Hot pot lamb can ward off wind and cold while nourishing the body, making it most suitable for winter consumption. The key to this method is to soak the lamb in cold water overnight to leach out the gamey substances. It should be noted that when eating lamb with a spicy and numbing broth, it can easily cause internal heat. At this time, you can eat some moistening and drying foods like tremella or pear, or drink some chrysanthemum tea to clear the heat. Due to the possible presence of bacteria and parasites in lamb, lamb slices that have passed quality inspection should be selected, and must be cooked until thoroughly done.

Scallion Lamb

Scallion Lamb

Ingredients: 300g sliced lamb, 30g onion, 4 garlic cloves, 8 scallions, appropriate amount of starch.

Seasonings: 45g cooking oil, 2 small spoons of sesame oil, 1/2 large spoon of white vinegar, 1 large spoon of soy sauce, 3 small spoons of sugar, 1 small spoon of MSG.

Method:

1. Mix the lamb with MSG, soy sauce, and starch. Marinate for 10 minutes, then drain the excess marinade.

2. Wash and cut the onion, wash and slice the garlic, wash and cut the scallions.

3. Add oil to a wok, heat it up, add the lamb and stir-fry for 1 minute, then remove and set aside.

4. Add more oil to the wok, add the garlic, onion, and scallions, and stir-fry for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the stir-fried lamb back to the wok and stir-fry together. Add sesame oil, white vinegar, and sugar.

5. Stir-fry all the ingredients in the wok for another 2 minutes, then transfer evenly to a flat-bottomed iron wok. Heat over high heat, thicken with a starch slurry, and serve.

Effects: It has the effects of replenishing Qi and tonifying deficiency, warming the middle and lower abdomen, and also promotes sweating and detoxification. The lamb is tender, savory without being gamey, oily and saucy, leaving a lasting aftertaste.

So these are the ways to cook lamb. Which one do you prefer? Although lamb has a high nourishing effect, it is not suitable for everyone to eat. Because lamb has a strong smell and is a heavy burden on the digestive system, it is not suitable for people with poor stomach and spleen function. Therefore, attention should be paid to its consumption in daily life!