Autumn rain brings cold weather, and as it gets cooler, it's time to "bulk up" for winter. People start thinking about eating fish and meat to store up energy. When it comes to cooking fish and meat, the four essential seasonings—scallion, ginger, garlic, and pepper—cannot be ignored. These four, commonly known as the "Four Gentlemen of Flavoring," have been immensely revered by the Chinese people for centuries for their remarkable effects.
The reason for adding scallion, ginger, garlic, and pepper to meat is that all poultry and meat can be rich and greasy. The common characteristic of these four seasonings is that they are pungent, warm, whet the appetite, and cut the grease. Specifically, each has its own unique properties: scallion helps to promote yang energy, disperse cold, and remove fishy smells; ginger warms the stomach and eliminates odors; garlic has disinfectant and antibacterial properties; and Sichuan pepper can warm the middle energizer.
So, when cooking, exactly how should you use scallion, ginger, garlic, and pepper?
For meats with a strong gamey flavor, like mutton, don't forget to add Sichuan pepper during cooking. For example, in boiled beef or mutton, Sichuan pepper is a must, as it enhances the flavor and removes the gamey taste.
Use more ginger when cooking fish. Fish is considered very cooling, and it needs a warming ingredient like ginger to balance it. For instance, steamed fish should have shredded ginger, and when eating crab, it's common to dip it in a mixture of vinegar and minced ginger. Additionally, ginger should also be used when cooking other seafood with high cooling properties, such as shellfish (like snails, clams, and crabs).
Scallion is known to strengthen yang, add aroma, and remove unpleasant odors. When cooking vegetables with high cooling properties, such as water bamboo, white radish, or mung bean sprouts, using more scallion can help to soothe the spleen and stomach.
Garlic enhances flavor and has disinfectant and antibacterial properties. It should be added when cooking meats with a strong odor, like soft-shelled turtle. It's also advisable to use more garlic when cooking chicken, duck, or goose, as it can help lower cholesterol and promote nutrient absorption.