1. Black Sesame Porridge
Ingredients: 25g black sesame, 50g japonica rice.
Method: Stir-fry the black sesame until cooked, then grind it into a powder and set aside. Wash the japonica rice and cook it in a pot with the black sesame powder. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer into a porridge.
Effects: Nourishes the liver and kidneys, and benefits the five organs. Note: This remedy is more suitable for middle-aged and elderly individuals with a weak constitution and has the effect of preventing premature aging.
2. Steamed Old Duck with Cordyceps
Ingredients: 5 cordyceps sinensis, 1 old male duck, appropriate amount of yellow wine, ginger, scallion, and salt.
Method: Pluck the old duck, remove its internal organs, and rinse clean. Place it in a pot of boiling water until scum forms on the surface, then remove. Split the duck's head open along the neck, insert the cordyceps, and tie it securely with string. Place it in a large pot, add yellow wine, ginger, scallion, salt, and an appropriate amount of water. Place the large pot in another pot and steam over water for about 2 hours, or until the duck is cooked (can also be steamed in a steam pot).
Effects: Tonifies deficiency and benefits essence, nourishes yin and assists yang. This remedy uses cordyceps as the main ingredient to support kidney yang and benefit essence and blood, and the old duck as a supplement to nourish yin and tonify deficiency. The formula, with one part focusing on supplementing yang and the other on supplementing yin, works together to become an authoritative medicinal meal for tonifying deficiency, benefiting essence, nourishing yin, and assisting yang.
3. Tomato and Candied Lotus Root
Ingredients: 2 tomatoes, 1 section of lotus root, appropriate amount of rock sugar.
Method: Peel the tomatoes. Boil the lotus root in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Place both on a plate and sprinkle with rock sugar.
Effects: Strengthens the spleen and whets the appetite, promotes the production of body fluids and quenches thirst.
4. Cistanche Lamb Porridge
Ingredients: 30g cistanche, 150-200g lamb, appropriate amount of rice, a pinch of salt and MSG.
Method: Wash and slice the lamb. Cook it in a pot with water until done. Add rice and cistanche to cook into a porridge. Season with salt and MSG before serving.
Effects: Warms the interior and strengthens yang, nourishes the kidneys and benefits essence. Suitable for cold pain in the lower back and knees, impotence, spermatorrhea, and a sallow complexion due to kidney deficiency.
5. Dragon and Horse Young Chicken
Ingredients: 15g shrimp, 10g sea horse, 1 young rooster, appropriate amount of cooking wine, MSG, salt, ginger, scallion, water starch, and clear broth.
Method: After slaughtering the young rooster, pluck it, remove its internals, wash it, and place it in a large bowl. Wash the sea horse and shrimp in warm water, soak for 10 minutes, and place them on top of the chicken. Add scallion sections, ginger slices, and an appropriate amount of clear broth. Steam in a steamer until thoroughly cooked. After steaming, remove the scallion and ginger. Add MSG and salt. Thicken the remaining broth with starch and pour it over the chicken. When consuming, eat the sea horse, shrimp, and chicken.
Effects: Warms the kidneys and strengthens yang, replenishes qi and benefits essence. Suitable for impotence, premature ejaculation, frequent urination, and metrorrhagia and leukorrhea.
6. Sweet and Sour Ribbon Fish
Ingredients: 500g ribbon fish, 2 slices of ginger, 1 section of scallion, 1 spoon of minced garlic, 4 spoons each of sugar and vinegar, 3/4 cup of water, 1 spoon of cornstarch, 1 spoon of cooking wine.
Method: Rinse the ribbon fish, pat it dry, and cut into pieces. Marinate briefly with a little salt and cooking wine, then dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in a wok, deep-fry the fish for about 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. Remove, drain the oil, and arrange on a plate. Heat oil in the wok, sauté the minced garlic, ginger, and scallion. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce and bring to a boil. Pour the hot sauce over the fish.
Effects: Enhances physical fitness and improves the body's immunity.
Dietary conditioning in winter should follow the traditional principle of "tonifying the deficient and warming the cold." Winter supplementation is a custom for Chinese people that has lasted for thousands of years. Start of Winter (Lidong) is a very important solar term and the best time for people to replenish their bodies. On this day, people in the north and south supplement with delicacies and wild delicacies in different ways, believing that this is the only way to resist the harsh cold in the winter. So, in real life, how should we pay attention to diet and health preservation on the day of Start of Winter?
7. Salt-Roasted Duck with Lotus Leaf
Ingredients: 1000g old duck, 1 large fresh lotus leaf, 1/3 spoon of Sichuan peppercorns, 2 star anise, 1000g coarse salt, appropriate amount of fine salt and oil.
Method: Slaughter and clean the duck, removing the internals. Boil the duck with Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and seasonings for 1 hour, then hang it to dry for 30 minutes. Wrap the duck with the lotus leaf. Place a large clay pot over high heat and add the coarse salt until it's very hot. Roast the duck in the salt for about 30 minutes, then add more hot coarse salt and roast for another 30 minutes. Turn the duck continuously while roasting until it is cooked. Remove the duck, unwrap the lotus leaf, and cut it into pieces to serve.
Effects: Enhances physical fitness and improves the body's immunity.