Spring is rainy and humid, so the diet should focus on promoting Qi, removing dampness, and providing gentle nourishment.
Pickled Cucumber and Carp Soup This is a traditional Chaoshan dish from Guangdong, with a delicious and savory flavor. Select one fresh carp, about 500 grams, clean the内脏 thoroughly, but do not remove the scales. This soup is meant to be light, so do not pan-fry the carp. Use pickled cucumber, slice it and soak to remove excess salt, then cook it with the carp until the flavors blend.
Pig Stomach and Water Chestnut Soup This recipe provides a simple and effective method for cleaning a pig's stomach. In a wok, heat half a cup of oil until very hot, blanch the pig stomach in the oil until the sticky substance is removed, then rinse it briefly with clean water. Choose firm and heavy water chestnuts. Peel them and simmer with the pig stomach, pork ribs, ginkgo nuts, and dried bean curd sticks for 3 hours. This soup is refreshingly sweet and savory.
Amaranth and Pork Slices Soup Green amaranth in spring is better in flavor than red amaranth. When cooked, the vegetable is smooth and the soup is savory. Choose amaranth with thick stalks and short stems. Simply bring water to a boil, add oil and salt, then add the pork slices and amaranth and bring back to a boil. This soup has a rich, inviting aroma. Adding a little more oil when cooking the amaranth will make it more succulent and delicious.
Scallop and Pork Intestine Soup When buying pork intestines, ask the butcher to make a small cut in one section, squeeze out a small amount of the "powder" to check. If it has a yellowish tint, the intestine will be bitter; if it's white and clean, you can buy it with confidence. To clean the intestines, insert a whole garlic clove from one end to the other; the garlic not only removes grime but also eliminates any odor. Clean the intestines and simmer them with soaked scallops, Euryale ferox seeds, and goji berries for 3 hours. This soup is nourishing and delicious.
Pig Pancreas and Goji Berry Soup Goji berries are at their plumpest and most tender in spring. Simmered with pig pancreas and pork liver, they create a soup that is bitter, sweet, and refreshing, and very beneficial. Pancreas refers to the pig's pancreas, not its tongue. Slice the pork liver and rinse it briefly with water before adding marinade and marinating. This rinsing prevents blood from creating foam in the soup, ensuring the broth remains clear. Adding an egg before serving can enhance its color, aroma, and flavor.