Everyone says spring is the best season for health preservation, and rightly so—it's when all things revive and begin to grow. At this time, people naturally need to take good care of themselves to stay healthy and avoid being "knocked down" by illness. For this reason, we recommend prioritizing medicinal cuisine in spring health preservation. Choosing the right medicinal dishes can help strengthen your body and improve your health. Medicinal Cuisine Takes Priority in Spring Health PreservationThe saying "food therapy is better than medicinal supplements" is widely known. Medicinal cuisine involves simmering Chinese herbs with other ingredients to create recipes. Typically, herbs that nourish yin, soften the liver, boost qi, and promote upward movement are combined with complementary foods. This means consuming medicinal cuisine not only provides essential nutrients from the ingredients but also absorbs the body-nourishing components from the herbs.Such a beneficial practice is ideal for health preservation.
Another factor is that spring is the season when yang energy rises. As temperatures warm and winds increase, viruses and other microorganisms proliferate and spread rapidly, making people susceptible to external pathogenic heat diseases. Medicinal cuisine primarily addresses deficiencies in qi, blood, yin, and yang that cannot be adequately remedied through regular dietary supplementation.To restore health swiftly during this period, consult a practitioner to select suitable herbs and complementary ingredients. Medicinal dishes crafted from these combinations help regulate yin-yang balance and ward off external pathogens. Common Spring Medicinal Dishes 1.Magnolia Flower and Egg Soup
Ingredients: 10g magnolia flowers (Chinese herb, also known as magnolia blossoms), 2 eggs.
Preparation Method:
A. Thoroughly wash both ingredients, paying special attention to scrubbing the eggshells clean of any attached dirt, mud, or impurities.
B. After washing, place the eggs in a pot with two cups of water and bring to a simmer. Once the eggs begin to crack, remove them, peel, and return them to the pot to continue simmering until the broth is rich and flavorful.
B. After washing, place them in a pot with two bowls of water and bring to a simmer. Once the eggs crack during cooking, peel them and return them to the pot. Simmer until the broth reduces to one bowl, then turn off the heat.
C. To serve, strain the broth into a bowl, remove the eggs with tongs, and enjoy both the soup and eggs.
Benefits: This soup helps dispel wind and alleviate pain. As spring brings susceptibility to wind-cold and conditions like rhinitis, it's recommended to consume this dish.
2. Dried Tangerine Peel Fish Soup
Ingredients: 1 crucian carp (over 1 pound), 14 dried tangerine peel slices, 5g sand ginger, 3 ginger slices.
Method: Rinse the dried tangerine peel and ginger slices. Crush the sand ginger and set aside.Stun the crucian carp, remove the gills, gut it, and discard the internal organs. Rinse thoroughly several times with clean water. Heat a pot over high heat, add oil, and once hot, pan-fry the fish until both sides are lightly golden. Transfer to an earthenware pot.Add the cardamom, dried tangerine peel, and ginger to the clay pot. Pour in enough water to submerge the fish. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and simmer gently for about 2 hours. When nearly done, uncover the pot, add sesame oil and salt, stir well, and serve immediately.
Benefits: This soup helps dispel dampness and strengthen the spleen and stomach, making it especially suitable for springtime consumption. As spring arrives, many suffer from spring fatigue. This soup effectively alleviates such lethargy, so friends, hurry and learn how to make it!
Additionally, keep in mind that when consuming medicinal soups, it's important to adjust your spring diet according to temperature changes. Shift from warming, pungent, and sweet foods to lighter, yin-nourishing options for optimal nourishment. Of course, variety is key—don't stick to just one recipe. Mix things up with different medicinal soup formulas to avoid getting bored.