Eat more potassium-rich foods during the End of Heat: Loach and Tofu Stew
The End of Heat is approaching. As the old saying goes, "The cold comes with the End of Heat," meaning that after the End of Heat, the summer heat gradually subsides. However, the true coolness of autumn has not yet arrived. The heat on sunny afternoons can be just as intense as during the height of summer, which is what people often refer to as the "Autumn Tiger, as fierce as a tiger."
During the End of Heat period, the weather transitions from hot to cool, and many people experience a lazy, lethargic feeling known as "autumn fatigue," a natural phenomenon similar to "spring sleepiness" that occurs during seasonal climate changes. However, adjusting your diet can effectively combat autumn fatigue.
Eat more foods rich in vitamins, such as fresh vegetables and fruits. Vitamins help promote the rapid elimination of metabolic waste that accumulates in the body when fatigued. Vegetables and fruits are alkaline foods, and their metabolic byproducts can neutralize the acidic substances produced in muscles during fatigue, helping to alleviate tiredness. Nature has already planned this for us; autumn is the golden season for fruits. Apples, pears, tomatoes, oranges, and sugarcane are all excellent choices at this time.
In addition, eat more potassium-rich foods, such as dried fruits, beans, and seafood. Potassium helps maintain cellular moisture, enhances cell activity, and aids the body's recovery. Here, a homemade dish is recommended—the recipe for Loach and Tofu Stew.
Ingredients: Loach, tofu
Seasonings: Oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, chopped green onions, minced ginger, coriander, Shaoxing wine, vegetable oil, wet starch, and fresh stock.
Instructions: 1. Cut the tofu into cubes and place them in a pot of boiling water. Turn off the heat and let them steep for 3 minutes, then set aside.
2. Briefly rinse the loach with boiling water, use a cloth to wipe off the mucus on their bodies, wash them clean, and place them in a bowl. Add Shaoxing wine and soy sauce, mix well, and set aside.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok until it's about 70% hot. Add the loach and deep-fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the excess oil.
4. Leave a little oil in the original wok. Add the chopped green onions and minced ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the tofu and loach, splash with Shaoxing wine, add fresh stock, and bring to a simmer until the tofu becomes porous.
5. Add oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce, and MSG. Bring to a boil, then drizzle in the wet starch to create a thin slurry.
6. Transfer to a hot clay pot that already has coriander in it. Sprinkle with white pepper, cover, and serve.
PS: I'm a bit lazy, so I didn't prepare the loach. If you're more particular, you can cut off the head and tail and remove the intestines.