During the festive season, dumplings are an indispensable star on the dining table. The whole family gathers together to lively make and eat dumplings, a unique sense of happiness arises among the Chinese people, and the festive atmosphere is made even more intense.
What to pair with dumplings for a healthier New Year
Although dumplings are delicious, they also have their drawbacks for health. Generally, dumpling fillings are mostly meat-based, with more meat than vegetables. Eating too many can make one feel greasy, which not only affects the taste but is also extremely detrimental to health due to excessive intake of rich foods. Therefore, many people like to dip their dumplings in vinegar to counteract this. In fact, besides vinegar, we can also drink healthy beverages that cut the grease while eating dumplings to achieve a similar effect.
There are many healthy beverages that can cut the grease, such as tea and juice, but the most suitable pairing for dumplings is China's traditional beverage, sour plum soup. Sour plum soup is brewed from several natural ingredients like dark plums and hawthorn, rich in nutrients such as trace elements and dietary fiber. In particular, the abundant anthocyanins it contains are a type of phytochemical that can be extremely effective in helping the body eliminate grease. Moreover, although sour plum soup is sour, it is a truly alkaline beverage. When you eat too much acidic food like meat and consume excessive fats, it can lead to acidification of the blood. Drinking some sour plum soup helps us maintain the acid-alkaline balance in our bodies. Additionally, its sweet and sour taste makes it more suitable to pair with dishes than the bitter taste of tea or the overly sweet taste of juice.
Besides being a perfect health partner for dumplings, sour plum soup is also a traditional Chinese food, just like dumplings. Its prototype dates back as early as the Zhou Dynasty, and by the Qing Dynasty, it had become a daily health drink for the imperial family. After being spread from the palace to the common people by Jiulongzhai, sour plum soup also became popular among the public and became one of the representatives of traditional Beijing cuisine. Therefore, eating dumplings with sour plum soup is not only beneficial to health but also embodies the essence of our traditional Chinese culinary culture.