On hot summer days, people enjoy eating cold mixed dishes. These dishes have a crisp and tender texture with a fresh, light, and savory flavor. They replenish the vitamins and dietary fibers consumed by the body. Since they are not cooked at high temperatures, cold mixed dishes preserve the nutritional content of vegetables to the greatest extent, using minimal oil and salt.
Vinegar is the best seasoning for cold mixed dishes. It promotes blood circulation, dispels stasis, detoxifies, aids digestion, and stimulates the appetite. The acetic acid in vinegar is a weak acid with a low concentration and does not destroy the vitamins and plant fibers found in green vegetables. Adding vinegar not only enhances the fresh and refreshing taste and increases the appetite, but its antibacterial properties can also effectively prevent intestinal diseases common in the summer.
Unlike in cold mixed dishes, vinegar should not be added when stir-frying green vegetables. During the cooking process, the nutritional value and chlorophyll are destroyed by the action of acetic acid, causing the green vegetables to turn yellow and their nutritional value to decrease. Therefore, do not use vinegar when stir-frying green vegetables.
Another essential seasoning for cold mixed dishes is sesame oil. Sesame oil not only has a rich aroma that stimulates the appetite but also helps in the absorption of the vegetables' nutritional components.