Braisedeelsegments.LesserHeatisoneofthe24solartermsintheChineselunarcalendar,usuallyfallingonJuly7or8,whichsignalsthestartofthehottestdaysoftheyear.Duringthistime,thunderstormsfrequentlyoccurandthehumidityintheairgraduallyincreases,changingtheclimatefromdryheattoawetstuffiness.Tokeepfit,Chinesepeopleprefertoeatfewersweetandspicyfoods,andtrytoavoiddrinkingcoldwaterduringthisperiod.
FollowingLesserHeat,GreatHeatoftencomesonJuly23,whenthetemperatureinmostareasofChinacanreachashighas35擄Cto40擄C.GreatHeat,justasitsnameimplies,iswhenthehottestdaysofsummeroccur.Withablisteringtemperature,peoplesweatprofuselyundertheblazingsun,consumingtoomuchoftheirenergy.Therefore,peopleeatfoodsthatcanenrichthebloodandenhanceenergy,suchasChineseyams,lotusroots,Chinesedates,Chineseblackfungus,seacucumbers,andwatermelons,aswellassomebitter-tastingfoods,includingbalsampears,fieldsowthistles,andbuckwheat.
TwodishesarerecommendedduringtheGreat&LesserHeatdays.Oneisbraisedeelsegmentswhichhelpincreasebloodflowandnourishestheliverandkidneys;theotherislotusrootwhichhelpsreducethebody鈥檚temperature,assistsinsalivaproduction,andisalsogoodforhemostasis,aswellasstrengtheningthespleenandstomach.
Thebraisedeelsegmentsdishisfamousforitstendermeatandnutritiousthickbroth.Themainingredientsare400gcleanedricefieldeels,40gmarinateddrymushrooms,and40gwinterbambooshoots.Seasoningsincludesoysauce,cookingwine,salt,whitesugar,whitepepper,starch,choppedgreenonions,gingerflakes,garlic,vegetableoil,andchickenstock.Cuttheeelsinto3-cm-longsegmentsandstir-fryinapanuntilmediumwell,thenaddthemushroomsandwinterbambooshoots.Letthemsweatuntiltheircolorschangeandscoopthemouttogetherwithacolander.Addthechoppedgreenonions,gingerflakes,andgarlicclovesintothepanandstir-fry,addingthepreviouslycookedeels,mushrooms,andwinterbambooshoots,andthenpourinthechickenstock,addingsomestarchtothickenupthesoup.Thedishcanbeservedonaplate,andbringswithitbothanalluringcolorandflavor.
Sweetlotusrootwithglutinousriceisatraditionaldessertwhichcanhelppeopledealwiththeswelteringsummerheat.Preparetwosegmentsoflotusroots,150gglutinousrice,50gwhitesugar,andsomesweetosmanthuswaterorhoney.Peelthelotusroots,cutthemintotwodownthemiddle,injectglutinousriceintothehollowsoftheroots,andusetoothpickstoreassemblethem.Puttheminasteamerandsteamfor30minutes.Coolthedishandslicethelotusrootsintopiecesandarrangeinaplate,sprayingthemwiththesweetosmanthuswaterandwhitesugar,oraddsomehoney.Glutinousricehelpsreplenishtheblood,whilelotusrootscansoothenervesandnourishthestomach.Honey,richinvariousenzymes,whicharegoodfordigestionandmetabolism,isthesoulofthisfragrantandrefreshingdish.C
TONGCHANGYOUisaBeijingCuisinemasterandamemberofboththeChinaCuisineAssociationandtheBeijingCuisineAssociation.