The changing of the seasons brings about a rise in bacteria and viruses that can affect our health. During this unpredictable weather, try cooking these nourishing dishes for your family to boost lung health, reduce phlegm, strengthen immunity, and aid recovery.
1. Dessert: Sweet Soup with Lotus Seeds, Lily Bulbs, and Wood Ear Fungus
Ingredients:
+ 50g dried lotus seeds
+ 30g dried lily bulbs
+ 20g wood ear fungus (white wood ear)
+ Rock sugar to taste (adjustable)
+ Goji berries (optional)
+ Water as needed
Instructions:
+ Soak the lotus seeds, lily bulbs, and wood ear fungus separately until softened. Soak the lotus seeds for 2-3 hours, and the lily bulbs and fungus for 30 minutes to 1 hour. After soaking, remove the tough stems from the fungus, tear it into small pieces, and rinse well.
+ In a pot, combine the soaked lotus seeds, lily bulbs, and wood ear fungus. Add water according to your desired consistency and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40-60 minutes until the ingredients are soft and the liquid has reduced.
+ Add rock sugar to taste and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Finally, add goji berries (if using) and serve warm.
2. Braised Pork with Cordyceps Flower
Ingredients:
+ 50-80g fresh cordyceps flower (dong chong xia cao)
+ 200g lean pork (or beef, or chicken breast)
+ 8g goji berries
+ 5 red dates
+ Cooking wine
+ 1 knob of ginger
+ Salt to taste
Instructions:
+ Rinse the cordyceps flower and set aside. Cut the meat into cubes, slice the ginger, and rinse the goji berries and red dates. Soak the dates in warm water to soften them slightly.
+ In a pot, add enough water and bring the meat to a boil. Skim off any foam, blanch for 3 minutes, then remove and rinse with warm water.
+ In a separate pot, heat a little oil and sauté the ginger until fragrant. Add the blanched meat and quickly stir. Then, add the cordyceps flower and red dates, stirring to combine. Pour in a splash of cooking wine to eliminate any unwanted odors. Add enough water to cover the ingredients by about 2-3 cm, pop on the lid, and simmer.
+ Bring the broth to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and braise for about 1 hour, or until the meat is tender and the broth is fragrant. Season with salt to taste, stir in the goji berries, and serve warm.
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