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Millet & eggs
emointhekitchen Millet Autumn is a season that holds great significance in TCM. Recommends conserving and nourishing the body’s energy during autumn in preparation for the colder months ahead. It recommends specific foods and herbs to support the body during this season. Millet is a grain highly valued in TCM for its ability to harmonize the body’s spleen and stomach or vital energy. Millet can be incorporated into the diet in various ways, for example in porridges, soups or as a substitute for rice in dishes. Eggs Eggs are another important food during autumn. In TCM, they considered eggs to have a nourishing and soothing effect on the body. Eggs are…
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Edamame beans
emointhekitchen History Soybeans (edamame beans) were first cultivated in China some 7000 years ago. The place of origin is said to be East Asia and China. It is said that it was already eaten in its present form during the Nara and Heian periods. The term dates from the year 1275, when the Japanese monk Nichiren wrote a note thanking a parishioner for the gift of “edamame” he had left at the temple. In 1406, during the Ming dynasty in China, the leaves of the soybeans were eaten and during outbreaks of famine, it was recommended that citizens eat the beans whole or use them ground up and added to…
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Kogomi (Fiddlehead fern)
emointhekitchen 《本草纲目》:“蕨处处山中有之。二三月生芽,拳曲状如小儿拳。其茎嫩时采取,以灰汤煮去涎滑,晒干作蔬,味甘滑,亦可醋食。” “Compendium of Materia Medica”: “There are ferns everywhere in the mountains. Buds are born in February and March, and their fists are like children’s fists. The stems are taken when they are tender, boiled in ash soup to remove the saliva, and dried as vegetables. It tastes sweet and smooth, and can also be eaten with vinegar.” Li Shizhen said: (1518 -1593 – Ming dynasty) Fiddlehead fern (ostrich fern; Kogomi; Matteuccia struthiopteris; こごみ; 荚果蕨; Pérovník pštrosí) is collected throughout Japan and also in other Asian areas where it is considered a delicacy. It grows in moist areas from spring to early summer and is often eaten as a…
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Vegetable Jelly
emointhekitchen Vegetable jelly is a unique and tasty treat that is made by combining spinach juice and pea flour. It’s the perfect balance of healthy and delicious! Now, you might be wondering how this amazing creation came about. Well, in China, there is a long history of using vegetables in desserts. They believe in the concept of balance and incorporating wholesome ingredients into their meals and treats. So, vegetable jelly is just another example of their culinary creativity. You will need: pea flour spinach juice soy sauce sesame seeds, chilli sauce, olive oil, garlic Apple cider vinegar salt Procedure: Measure out 100 grams of pea flour. Add 200 grams of…
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Dragon Boat Festival food – Zongzi
emointhekitchen Get ready to paddle for joy at this Dragon Boat Festival! Held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, this ancient Chinese tradition is a time of feasting, racing, and celebrating the joys of life. The excitement of the Dragon Boat Festival stems from the thrilling boat races where teams of oarsmen row furiously to the beat of a drum. But that’s not all – something also known as the festival for its delicious food such as zongzi 粽子(glutinous rice dumplings) and xiaolongbao 小笼包(steamed pork buns). And what kind of festival would it be without colourful decorations? You’ll find dragon ship decorations, paper lanterns and wormwood. Zongzi…
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Vegan and gluten-free cookies made with oatmeal and rhubarb jam
emointhekitchen Cookies made with oatmeal and rice flour are gluten-free and have a crispy rustic texture. It doesn’t use butter or eggs, so it’s perfect as a snack for those on a diet. This time, I filled the cookies with rhubarb jam, which is in season. Rhubarb is a familiar vegetable in Europe and the United States, but recently it has become common in Japanese greengrocers. At first glance, it looks like celery, but it cannot be eaten raw. It is used to make sweets such as jams and pies. In addition to fibre, rhubarb contains a lot of potassium and is rich in polyphenols. You can mix rhubarb jam with…
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Fried with lion’s mane mushroom
emointhekitchen Lion’s mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) are a type of edible fungi that are native to China. They have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and they are becoming increasingly popular in the West as a culinary ingredient. Lion’s mane mushrooms have a distinctive appearance, with long, shaggy white “hair” that resembles a lion’s mane. They have a mild, earthy flavour and a firm, meaty texture. When cooked, they can be used in a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to stir-fries and even pasta. If you’re looking for a unique ingredient to add to your next meal, try lion’s mane mushrooms. You’ll be sure to…
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Aubergine with kudzu
emointhekitchen The place of origin of aubergine is in the eastern part of India. In India, people have cultivated it since prehistoric times. Then to China and Myanmar around the 5th century. It was introduced to Europe in the 13th century. Mapo aubergine is a type of Chinese food that is “fish-flavoured aubergine” (魚香茄子) in Japanese, one of Sichuan cuisine. The decisive factor in the taste of aubergine is the perfect balance between the fragrant and soft aubergine and the thick soy meat. The trick to deep frying Chinese food is to fry it at a high temperature for a short period of time. We need: baby aubergine soy meat…
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Lantern Festival (元宵)
emointhekitchen Tangyuan balls (汤圆) are traditionally eaten during the Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar New Year, which is the first full moon. The festival falls on a February day in the international calendar every year. People eat the balls for luck and in the hope of filling their lives with sweetness and joy. During the Lantern Festival, glutinous rice balls must be eaten, which means that the whole family will be reunited. There is no such atmosphere abroad, so I decided to make our sticky rice balls. Sticky rice balls, freshly fried peanuts, bean paste, and sesame with a little…
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Chinese New Year Vegetable Dumplings
emointhekitchen During the Spring Festival, almost every family will eat dumplings that are shaped like ingots, which means “attract wealth”. Judging by ancient customs, dumplings are a dish eaten after New Year’s sacrifices. Dumplings are one of the traditional dishes. In the old days, there were only wontons. Later, wontons were made into a crescent shape to become dumplings. The custom of eating dumplings spread to remote areas of the country during the Tang Dynasty (618–690, 705–907). Chinese culture is vast and deep, and folk customs also have their characteristics. Some people eat dumplings on New Year’s Eve, some people eat dumplings on the first day of the new year,…