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October 29, 2015

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Homemade recipes to relieve autumn dryness

By Xu Wenwen | October 29, 2015, Thursday | Print Edition

IT’S that time of year again when skin dries out quicker as the humidity declines. Have no fear. There’s no need for flaky skin and chapped lips. Following some traditional Chinese medicine tips will help keep your skin and lips moist this autumn and winter.

For starters, TCM suggests washing the face with cold water will help, as will eating more “moistening” foods. It’s also wise to avoid deep fried, grilled and spicy foods.

Lotus root, pear, jujube and chrysanthemum are considered foods that help ease autumn dryness. In Hangzhou, lotus root and chrysanthemum dishes are two specialties. The easiest way to get rid of qiu zao (autumn dryness) is to grab some chrysanthemum tea in the supermarket and make a cup.

Shanghai Daily introduces some recipes that Hangzhou people have used for hundreds of years to prevent autumn dryness.

In old times when children had a cough they were given stewed pear and rock sugar soup as it is well known for moistening the lungs, plus it tastes much better than medicine.

Making the soup is about as easy it gets. Chop a pear into pieces and boil with rock sugar for five minutes. It has to be rock sugar since it is considered a yin food in TCM.

Another way to do it is to core the pear, fill the hole with rock sugar and then steam.

For those looking to be more creative, add some white fungus as it’s considered a “neutral” herb that effectively reinforces yin energy in the dry weather. Remember to soak the dry fungus in water until soft.

White fungus has also long been considered a beauty aid in China due to its skin-nourishing properties. Modern research has found it is rich in anti-oxidants, dilates coronary arteries and reduces blood fat and viscosity.

Under TCM, duck helps relieve autumn dryness if cooked the right way. As the weather cools, duck and bamboo soup helps soothe coughs, but make sure to avoid roasted or fried duck at this time of year.

Hangzhou residents refer to the dish as “pot of old duck and bamboo shoots” and it’s a specialty in the city.

To make the soup, it’s best if an old shelduck is used.

Dried bamboo shoots and Jinhua ham (available in supermarkets) are also required.

Soak the dried shoots in water until soft and then split into several long pieces so they are easier to chew.

Stewing the duck requires three steps starting with boiling and scalding it for five minutes, throwing away the water and washing the duck to remove all the blood froth.

Next add the bamboo shoots, ham and ginger into a crockery pot with hot water, then simmer with rice wine for three hours.

The smell and taste almost always impress guests. Leftovers are often made into congee or noodles for breakfast the next day.

Lotus is considered a cool (yin energy) food in TCM. If served raw as a vegetable, it has a crunchy and refreshing texture. After cooking, it can be crispy, soft, starchy or glutinous, depending on the variety and how it’s cooked.

Lotus root soup is easy to make. First, remove the skin then roll-cut the lotus root on an angle. Next cut the pork ribs into strips. Now boil the ribs and some ginger slices until the meat is blanched. The pork ribs can be replaced with pig trotters.

Then put the lotus root and ribs into a pot of cold water (peanuts and red dates can also be added). Boil at a high heat for 15 minutes and then switch to a low heat for another one hour to 90 minutes or until the pork ribs fall off the bone and the peanuts are soft. Then add salt.

Use a clay or stainless steel pot to reduce oxidization of the lotus root, which turns a dark color.

Hangzhou


 

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