My favorite is Longtou wheat, which laughs in the wind and turns red. Every year around May 21st, when the sun reaches 60 degrees yellow longitude, Xiaoman comes gracefully. At this time, the loquat is yellow ripe, the cherry is red, the wheat waves are rolling, and the summer atmosphere is gradually becoming stronger. All things hide half ripe humility and joy, waiting patiently for a bountiful year. Nourishing the heart and protecting the yang, clearing heat and dispelling dampness, Xiaoman is the eighth solar term among the twenty-four solar terms, and also the second solar term of summer. At this time, the wheat grains in the north are full and not yet ripe, while the rain in the south is gradually increasing and the rivers are rising. The sky and earth are full but not yet full. On the day of Xiaoman, there is a show of bitter vegetables. ”Xiaoman has three seasons: one is when the bitter vegetables show off, the second is when the weeds die, and the third is when the wheat arrives in autumn. At this moment, bitter vegetables are flourishing and growing; Afterwards, grasses that prefer shade and have slender branches begin to wither under strong sunlight; In the last period of Xiaoman, the wheat gradually matures, which means the arrival of "autumn" for the wheat, hence it is called "wheat autumn". In the Book of Songs, there is a description of "picking bitterness", which refers to the custom of our ancestors picking bitter vegetables during this season. At the end of spring and the beginning of summer, it is the critical period of "green and yellow", where crops are not yet ripe but wild vegetables are already abundant. People gather bitter vegetables from the fields to make a living. This bitter wild vegetable has not only filled the hunger of countless famine victims, but also ignited the spark of revolution on the most difficult journey. During the Long March, the Red Army used bitter vegetables to satisfy their hunger and overcome one difficulty after another. Bitter vegetables are therefore also known as "Red Army cuisine" and "Long March cuisine". There is a folk song in Jiangxi that goes: "Bitter vegetables, yellow flowers, both wild vegetables and grain. The Red Army ate them on the battlefield and bravely killed the enemy to win the battle." Little bitter vegetables bear witness to the indomitable backbone of a nation. Zhang Cui, Deputy Chief Physician of the Oncology Department at Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine affiliated with Capital Medical University, introduced that during the Xiaoman season, the heat and humidity begin to rise, and the body is easily disturbed by "heat and dampness trapping the spleen". This often manifests as a feeling of heaviness, lack of energy, decreased appetite, and even irritability, acne, and itching on the skin. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that in summer, the five elements belong to fire, and the five organs belong to the heart. In summer, the heart fire is in season, and eating bitterness appropriately can clear the heart and relieve fire; At the same time, 'bitterness can dry dampness' corresponds to the characteristic of Xiaoman's combination of dampness and heat. The core of Xiaoman's health preservation lies in nourishing the heart yang, clearing heat and dampness, and paying attention to a 'degree' in diet and daily life. ”Zhang Cui stated that when it comes to dietary regulation, it is advisable to focus on refreshing and light foods, such as adzuki beans, coix seed, mung beans, winter melon, and yam, which can help clear dampness and nourish yin fluids. Special attention should be paid to avoid consuming raw and cold foods such as ice cream and chilled beverages; At this time, although it is advisable to eat bitter food, it is also not advisable to consume excessive amounts of bitter gourd, mung beans, and other foods to avoid dampness and damage to the spleen and stomach. There is a folk saying that goes' Xiaoman sees three fresh things', which are cucumber, garlic sprouts, and cherries. Cucumber is beneficial for diuresis, clearing heat and detoxifying, and can alleviate irritability, thirst, and sore throat caused by hot weather; Garlic sprouts are warm in nature and can warm the middle and lower qi, harmonize the internal organs; Cherries are warm in nature and sweet in taste, especially good at nourishing the heart and protecting the yang. Eating them in early summer can replenish the essence lost by the body due to heat. It is interesting that in the 24 solar terms, small and large often appear in correspondence - small heat corresponds to large heat, small snow corresponds to large snow, small cold is connected to large cold, only after small man, there is no "large man". In the hearts of Chinese people, when the water is full, it overflows; when the moon is full, it loses. "Small fullness wins over all" - leaving room for everything and not seeking too much fullness is the true perfection. This wisdom also applies to health preservation - not greedy, not biased, but just right. Bitter with sweetness, dispelling dampness and strengthening the spleen "during the Xiaoman solar term, we recommend a classic health dish - stewed lean meat with bitter melon and soybeans. ”Zhang Cui said that this dish combines the bitterness of bitter melon, the sweetness of soybeans, and the deliciousness of lean meat. It is bitter with a hint of sweetness, fresh but not greasy, and has a mellow taste. It is a great health supplement for relieving heat and promoting body fluids in humid and hot summers. Bitter gourd is a "star ingredient" on summer dining tables, and the Compendium of Materia Medica records that it is "named for its bitterness and taste". Interestingly, bitter melon also has an elegant name called "Junzi Cai" - bitter melon itself has a bitter taste, but when paired with other dishes, it does not transmit the bitterness, hence the name "Junzi Cai". Eating a bowl of bitter melon soup during the Xiaoman season not only savors the taste, but also embodies the mindset of "using bitterness to clarify one's aspirations and promote health". Zhang Cui introduced that bitter gourd has a bitter taste and a cold nature. It has the effects of relieving heat and clearing heat, clearing the liver and improving vision, detoxifying and strengthening the stomach. The Compendium of Materia Medica records that bitter gourd can "eliminate evil heat, relieve fatigue, and clear the heart and eyes". Modern research has also found that bitter gourd is rich in active ingredients such as bitter gourd polysaccharides, saponins, and vitamin C, which have the effects of clearing heat, diuresis, anti-inflammatory, and lowering blood sugar. Soybeans have a sweet and mild taste, which can invigorate the spleen, nourish the middle, moisten dryness, eliminate dampness, and promote middle and lower qi. They are beneficial for regulating the large intestine. Soybeans have a high protein content and are also known as' plant-based meat '. Adding soybeans to this health dish can not only invigorate the spleen and dispel dampness, but also alleviate bitterness with a sweet taste and enhance freshness with the aroma of beans. Pork lean meat is sweet and nourishing to the kidneys, nourishing yin and moistening dryness. It can neutralize the coldness of bitter gourd, complement soybeans, and provide high-quality protein and energy for the body. In addition, ginger and tangerine peel need to be added to this dish: ginger has a warm and spicy nature, is warm and can stop vomiting, dispel coldness and relieve the surface. Two or three slices can alleviate the cold and refreshing air of bitter gourd; Chenpi regulates qi, strengthens spleen, dries dampness, and resolves phlegm, enhancing the aroma and flavor of soup. A combination of several ingredients, bitter gourd clears the upper burner and ignites the heart fire, soybeans nourish the middle burner spleen and stomach, ginger warms and promotes the lower burner qi machine - the upper, middle, and lower burners are connected, and the three burners are connected perfectly to cope with the state of dampness and spleen stagnation caused by summer heat. This bitter gourd and soybean stewed lean meat dish is mainly suitable for people with damp and hot constitution and strong heart fire. ”According to Zhang Cui, this dish is suitable for people who often feel dry and bitter mouth, yellow urine, acne, oral ulcers, irritability, red and swollen eyes. It should be noted that people with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold should be careful. If they are afraid of cold, have warm hands and feet, and loose stools, they should not eat too much. Zhang Cui reminds that traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes health preservation that varies with the time and body, and can be flexibly adjusted according to the constitution: for those with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold, the amount of bitter melon can be halved, ginger can be added to five or six slices, and three to five red dates can be added; You can also replace lean meat with slightly warmer pork ribs and extend the stewing time appropriately to reduce its coldness; For those with heavy dampness that affects the spleen, add a small handful of Job's tears or eyebrow beans, or add 10 grams of stir fried Atractylodes macrocephala to enhance the spleen's ability to dispel dampness; For those with a constitution biased towards yin deficiency, adding a few slices of dried yam or jade bamboo can balance the coldness of bitter gourd and nourish yin and moisten dryness. Clever cooking of bitter gourd, sweet and cool naturally. The cooking method of stewed lean meat with bitter gourd and soybeans is not complicated, but there are several key steps that can directly affect the effectiveness. ”Zhang Cui introduced that the classic recipe is as follows: prepare 1 bitter gourd (about 300-400 grams), 50 grams of soybeans, 300 grams of lean pork, 3-5 slices of ginger, and 1 small slice of tangerine peel. Soybeans need to be soaked in water for at least 3 hours or overnight in advance to fully absorb water and expand, so that they can easily become soft and tender when stewed; Wash and cut pork lean meat into pieces, blanch in cold water, add 1-2 slices of ginger to remove fishy smell, boil for 3 minutes, skim off foam, remove and wash for later use; Cut the bitter gourd in half, scrape off the inner flesh and white inner membrane with a spoon - this is the main source of bitterness, and then cut it into blocks about 2 centimeters thick. If you are sensitive to bitterness, you can blanch bitter melon chunks in boiling water for 1-2 minutes to alleviate some of the bitterness. When stewing, there are also rules: take a stew pot or clay pot, add blanched lean meat, soaked soybeans, ginger slices, and tangerine peel, add plenty of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for 40-60 minutes. When the soybeans are stewed until they are about 70-80% soft and tender, add the sliced bitter gourd pieces. First, open the lid and boil over high heat for a moment, then reduce the heat and simmer slowly. This will help stimulate the sweet and cool nature of the bitter gourd. Add an appropriate amount of salt to season before turning off the heat - be careful not to add salt too early to prevent the meat from turning dry. Zhang Cui suggests that in home cooking, the soaking time of soybeans must be sufficient. When stewing, soybeans absorb the freshness of meat broth, the fragrance of tangerine peel, and the sweetness of bitter melon, resulting in a soft and sticky taste; Bitter gourd must be cooked later and the stewing time should be controlled within 20 minutes to preserve its crisp taste and nutritional content. In addition, it is not advisable to have too much dried tangerine peel, just a small piece is enough to avoid masking the original flavor of bitter melon. Home cooked dishes can also be flexible and adaptable: if you want a stronger flavor, you can use pork ribs instead of lean meat, which is more oily, salty and fragrant, suitable for children who need flavor blending or families who prefer heavy flavors in their diet; The vegetarian version should remove lean meat and add 30 grams of eyebrow beans, replacing animal protein with plant protein. It is light and spleen strengthening, and is very suitable for summer health preservation; If salted pork bones are used instead of fresh lean meat, the salty and fresh flavor will be more prominent, but when seasoning, less or even no salt should be added to avoid excessive saltiness. Zhang Cui introduced that during the Xiaoman season, the heat is gradually increasing, and the following seasonal ingredients are just right and worth recommending: Ku Ma Cai - also known as "Ku Cai" in Xiaoman's first season, which is the freshest and most tender at this time. Cold salad best reflects its bitterness and sweetness: wash the fresh and tender bitter hemp vegetables, blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds, quickly remove them from the cold water, squeeze them dry, and cut them into sections. Add garlic paste, vinegar, a little soy sauce, sesame oil, and a little sugar, mix well. This way, it tastes refreshing, crispy, and tender, and also has the effect of clearing heat and reducing fire. Lettuce is a refreshing, crispy, and tender staple dish during the Xiaoman season. It has a cool and sweet taste, can clear heat and diuresis, enhance appetite, and its high potassium and low sodium characteristics can also help eliminate excess water from the body and reduce summer edema. The simplest way to eat is stir frying: peel and slice or shred the garlic, stir fry until fragrant, stir fry over high heat for 2 minutes, add a little salt, and then remove from the pot. Don't throw away the lettuce leaves either. Boil a bowl of clear soup to drink, which can relieve summer heat and irritability. Loquat is a seasonal fresh fruit that ripens before and after Xiaoman. It is cool in nature, sweet and sour in taste, and can moisten the lungs, relieve cough, produce fluids, and quench thirst. The best way to eat is fresh - peel off the thin skin and eat directly. The flesh is sweet and delicious, which can quickly relieve dry mouth and tongue caused by summer heat. (Looking into the New Era)