The scorching summer sun can often lead to a poor appetite and irritability. How to relieve summer heat and dampness, and boost your appetite? Here, the editor recommends a few cold dishes to help you have a better appetite and a healthier body this summer!
In the hot summer, relieving summer heat and dampness is key! Nutritional research also shows that eating raw vegetables can preserve their nutrients to the greatest extent, as some essential bioactive substances in vegetables change their properties and lose their health benefits when exposed to temperatures above 55°C. Here, the editor recommends three cold dishes, let's check them out!
1. Cold Cucumber Salad
Crisp and refreshing cucumber has the highest water content of all foods, with a water content of up to 96.7%. The rich vitamins in cucumber, such as carotene, vitamin B2, and vitamin C, make it even more beneficial. In the hot summer, it not only replenishes the body's water but also enhances the absorption of vitamins, and has multiple effects such as beautifying, aiding weight loss, and lowering blood pressure and cholesterol.
Ingredients: Two cucumbers, two cloves of garlic, sesame oil, vinegar, salt, light soy sauce.
Method:
1. Wash the cucumbers, chop them into one-centimeter pieces after smashing them with a knife;
2. Marinate with salt for two to three minutes, then squeeze out the water;
3. Add sesame oil, light soy sauce, minced garlic, and rice vinegar, and mix well.
In summer, the body's yang energy is on the outside, while yin energy is stored inside, leading to a relative decrease in gastric juice secretion and weakened digestive function. Therefore, promoting digestion and increasing appetite is of utmost importance.
2. Black Fungus and Onion Salad
Did you know that black fungus is called the "king of vegetarian foods" and the "aristocrat of vegetarian dishes" by nutritionists? With such a prestigious title, black fungus must be rich in protein, lecithin, sphingomyelin, various vitamins, as well as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other components. It can not only enhance immunity but also prevent cancer with regular consumption. Additionally, onion, hailed as the "queen of vegetables" in Europe, is extremely rich in nutrients. It can not only promote digestion but also has a refreshing effect, and regular consumption has health benefits for patients with high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and cardiovascular diseases.
Ingredients: Soy sauce, white vinegar, salt, chicken essence, one pack of dried black fungus, half an onion.
Method:
1. Slice the onion;
2. Blanch the onion and black fungus in hot water; note that the onion requires a short time, just bring the water to a boil;
3. Combine the onion and black fungus, add seasonings to taste.
For a healthy body, nutrition must be balanced. In addition to the vegetarian dishes mentioned above, non-vegetarian dishes are also essential for summer!
3. Sliced Beef and Ox Offal in Chili Sauce (Fuqi Feipian)
Summer diet should also include sufficient protein. Sliced Beef and Ox Offal is mainly made from fresh beef and various offal such as ox head, ox heart, and ox tongue. Beef and offal are high in protein and also contain nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and iron. After consumption, they can effectively replenish the body's needs for these substances and are also very beneficial for the stomach and intestines, but be careful not to eat too much.
Ingredients: 500g fresh beef, 500g mixed offal (tripe, heart, tongue, head, etc.), 500g master braising sauce, 100g crispy peanuts, 100g sesame seeds.
Seasonings: 150g chili oil, 150g soy sauce, 25g Sichuan peppercorn powder, 4g star anise, 5g each of MSG, Sichuan peppercorns, and cassia bark, 125g salt, 50g white liquor.
Method:
1. Wash the beef and offal. Cut the beef into large pieces of about 500g each. Place the beef and offal in a pot, add enough water to cover the beef, and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam. When the meat turns pale red, discard the water. Leave the beef and offal in the pot, add the master braising sauce, a spice packet (tied with cloth containing Sichuan peppercorns, cassia bark, and star anise), white liquor, and salt. Add about 400ml of water. Bring to a boil over high heat for about 30 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 1.5 hours until the beef and offal are tender but not mushy. Remove and let cool.
2. Bring the braising sauce to a boil over high heat for about 10 minutes. Take a bowl, ladle in 250g of the braising sauce, and add MSG, chili oil, soy sauce, and Sichuan peppercorn powder to make a dipping sauce.
3. Slice the cooled beef and offal into 4cm long, 2cm wide, and 0.2cm thick pieces. Mix them together, pour in the dipping sauce, and toss to coat. Divide onto several plates and sprinkle with crispy peanuts and sesame seeds to serve.