Many people today suffer from stomach ailments, with irregular lifestyles and schedules being the primary culprits. The stomach is vital to our health—damage to it impairs the absorption and utilization of essential nutrients, ultimately affecting overall well-being. Therefore, nurturing our stomachs is crucial.Spring is an ideal season for nourishing the stomach and strengthening the spleen. Traditional Chinese medicine experts emphasize that a nutritious diet is key to maintaining digestive health during this time. Below, we introduce three highly effective medicinal dishes for springtime stomach and spleen nourishment, hoping they prove beneficial. Ginseng and Astragalus Monkey Head Mushroom Stewed Chicken Ingredients: 100g monkey head mushroom,1 hen (approx. 750g), 10g each of astragalus root, codonopsis root, and red dates, appropriate amounts of ginger slices, scallion knots, Shaoxing wine, clear broth, and cornstarch.Remove the head and feet from the hen, chop into chunks, and place in a stewing pot. Add ginger slices, scallion knots, Shaoxing wine, and clear broth. Top with the monkey head mushroom slices and the softened, washed astragalus root, codonopsis root, and red dates. Simmer gently over low heat until the meat is tender and falling apart. Season to taste and serve.
Function: Tonifies qi, strengthens the spleen, and nourishes the stomach.
Seaweed and Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients: 100g mature pumpkin, 10g dried seaweed, 20g dried shrimp, 1 egg, soy sauce, lard, Shaoxing wine, vinegar, MSG, sesame oil (all to taste).
Method: Soak seaweed in water, rinse clean. Beat egg in a bowl.soak dried shrimp in rice wine. Peel and deseed pumpkin, wash and cut into chunks. Heat lard in a pot over high heat, add soy sauce to deglaze, then pour in water. Add dried shrimp and pumpkin chunks, simmer for 30 minutes. Add seaweed, cook for 10 more minutes. Pour in beaten egg mixture, season to taste, and serve.This soup nourishes the liver, strengthens the kidneys, and fortifies the body.
Papaya and Catfish Tail Soup
Ingredients: 1 papaya, 100g catfish tail.
Method: Peel and dice papaya. Briefly pan-fry catfish tail in oil. Add papaya and a few slices of ginger. Pour in sufficient water and simmer for about 1 hour.
Benefits: Nourishing and aids digestion. Helps alleviate indigestion and abdominal distension.
Foods that strengthen the spleen and nourish the stomach include: Chinese yam, lotus seeds, soybeans, grains, mung beans, coix seeds, hawthorn, bananas, red dates, chestnuts, lean pork, beef, chicken, milk, and soy products.Herbs that tonify the spleen and stomach include ginseng, poria, astragalus, atractylodes, and licorice. Combining these with foods in medicinal dishes yields superior results.
The above introduces three spring medicinal dishes most effective for spleen and stomach nourishment. We hope you now have a clearer understanding. Wishing you good health and joy in life.