6 Essential Cold Dishes for Summer

Introduction: In the summer heat, many people lose their appetite. Refreshing, tasty, and simple cold dishes become the stars of the dining table. In this issue, I recommend a few cold dishes perfect for summer.

Cold Lotus Root Slices

In the "Compendium of Materia Medica," lotus root is known as the "spiritual root." Eating crisp and sweet lotus root slices in hot weather not only whets the appetite and is refreshing, but also has the effect of clearing heat and moistening dryness. After being blanched in boiling water, the nature of the lotus root changes from cool to warm, making it beneficial for nourishing the stomach and strengthening the spleen. Ginger juice lotus root slices are an excellent choice.

Cold Cucumber

Cucumber is the best food for hydration in the summer, with the highest water content of all foods. It contains cucurbitacin, which has certain anti-cancer properties. Additionally, cucumber is cooling in nature and has the effects of reducing heat, promoting urination, and detoxifying. Cucumber is very suitable for cold dishes, such as cucumber with wood ear mushrooms or garlic cucumber salad.

Cucumber Salad

Cold Shredded Potato

Potatoes are not only rich in potassium but also essential minerals like calcium and zinc, as well as nutrients like vitamin C. Sweating a lot in the summer means eating potatoes can help replenish nutrients. Furthermore, potatoes are rich in dietary fiber, which promotes gastrointestinal motility and accelerates cholesterol metabolism in the intestines, aiding bowel movements and lowering cholesterol. Compared to stir-frying, blanching potatoes and then serving them cold makes them crisp and delicious, such as in vinegar shredded potato salad.

Cold Bitter Melon

The momordicoside and insulin-like substances in bitter melon have a good effect on lowering blood sugar, making it an ideal food for diabetics. Momordicoside and cucurbitacin can also stimulate the appetite, strengthen the spleen and whet the appetite, and have therapeutic effects such as improving eyesight, aiding digestion, cooling and detoxifying, and promoting urination. A plate of cold bitter melon is a great choice on a scorching summer day.

Cold Bitter Melon

Cold Celery

Celery has benefits for the throat, improves eyesight and qi, nourishes blood and strengthens the spleen, and relieves coughing and promotes urination. Eating celery regularly can boost immunity. Especially in summer, when people are prone to sore throats, mouth ulcers, and irritability, eating cold celery can help alleviate these symptoms.

Cold Lettuce

Lettuce has a fresh taste with a slightly bitter flavor that can stimulate digestive juice secretion and increase appetite. Lettuce is rich in inorganic salts and vitamins, and its high potassium content is beneficial for controlling high blood pressure. It also affects a person's basic metabolism and even mood regulation. On a hot day, a plate of refreshing vinegar lettuce salad can help relieve tension, reduce stress, and enhance the appetite.

Finally, it should be noted that, except for cucumber, the other dishes need to be blanched in boiling water. After draining, you can season them according to your taste with salt, vinegar, garlic, etc.

Cold Shredded Lettuce