"Replenish Well in Early Dog Days, Suffer Less in Midsummer": 3 "Yang-Supporting Dishes" to Stay Healthy Through Summer

The saying "a summer without illness still leaves one three parts weak" reflects how the scorching Sanfu days drain our vitality through excessive sweating and dampness obstructing the spleen and stomach. This makes the old adage "replenish well in early Dog Days, suffer less in midsummer" particularly valuable. The key isn’t mindless tonification but rather using warming foods to bolster yang energy, dispel dampness, and build resilience for the grueling summer ahead. Here are three seasonal dishes infused with "yang-supporting" wisdom—gentle guardians from your kitchen.

1. Warm and Balanced: Braised Beef with Radish and Carrot

Ingredients:

• 500g beef brisket or shank

• ½ daikon radish

• 1 carrot

• A few slices of ginger

• Some scallion segments

• Cooking wine, salt, and white pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cut the beef into chunks, blanch in cold water with ginger and cooking wine, skim off impurities, then rinse. Peel and cut the radish and carrot into rolling wedges.

2. Place the beef in a clay pot or stew pot, add enough beer or hot water, along with ginger and scallions. Bring to a boil, then simmer on low heat for about 1.5 hours.

3. Once the beef is tender, add the radish and carrot, continuing to stew for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables turn translucent. Season with salt and a dash of white pepper, stir gently, and turn off the heat.

Beef, warm in nature, nourishes qi and blood while strengthening the spleen and stomach—its warming properties help replenish yang energy dissipated in summer. Daikon radish, known as "little ginseng," though slightly cooling, harmonizes with beef to cut greasiness while promoting digestion, resolving phlegm, and draining dampness. Carrots boost qi and are rich in beta-carotene. Together, they offer warmth without dryness, tonifying while ensuring smooth circulation—ideal for those with weak digestion and dampness accumulation in summer, providing gentle yet sustained energy.

2. Spicy and Invigorating: Stir-Fried Blackfish with Garlic and Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh blackfish (about 600g)

• 5-6 garlic cloves

• 2-3 Thai chilies (adjust to taste)

• A little minced ginger

• Cooking wine, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, starch, salt, sugar, and cooking oil

Instructions:

1. Have the fish scaled, gutted, and cleaned. Scrape off any mucus, then fillet and slice thinly. Marinate with salt, cooking wine, ginger, and starch for 10 minutes.

2. Blanch the fish slices in boiling water for about 30 seconds until they turn opaque, then drain. Mince the garlic and slice the chilies.

3. Heat oil in a wok, sauté garlic, chilies, and ginger until fragrant. Turn up the heat, add the fish slices, and stir-fry quickly. Splash with cooking wine, add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a pinch of sugar, then toss to coat evenly (about 1 minute). Serve immediately.

Blackfish, tender and rich in high-quality protein, strengthens the spleen, promotes hydration, and aids muscle recovery. The "yang-supporting" magic here lies in the garlic and chilies. Garlic, warm and pungent, detoxifies, dispels cold, and stimulates digestion, while chilies warm the middle, dispel dampness, and revive appetite. The quick stir-fry locks in the fish’s tenderness while the bold flavors awaken sluggish senses—perfect for those suffering from summer fatigue, poor appetite, or a sticky, heavy feeling.

3. Dispelling Cold-Damp: Young Ginger Braised Duck

Ingredients:

• ½ young duck (or 3-4 duck legs)

• 150g young ginger

• 1 green and 1 red bell pepper (for color)

• 1 tbsp fermented bean paste

• A few pickled chilies (optional)

• Garlic cloves

• A little Sichuan peppercorn

• Cooking wine, light and dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, and oil

Instructions:

1. Chop the duck, blanch with ginger and cooking wine, then rinse. Slice most of the young ginger (no need to peel tender skin), smash a portion, and cut the peppers. Crush the garlic.

2. Heat oil in a wok, brown the duck until golden, rendering some fat. Add smashed ginger, garlic, peppercorns, bean paste (and pickled chilies if using), and stir-fry until fragrant.

3. Deglaze with cooking wine, add soy sauces, then pour in hot water to submerge the duck. Simmer covered for 30-40 minutes.

4. When the duck is tender and sauce reduced by half, add sliced ginger and peppers. Adjust seasoning with salt and sugar, then reduce the sauce until the ginger’s aroma shines and peppers are just cooked.

Duck, slightly cooling, nourishes yin, soothes the stomach, and reduces swelling—a fine summer tonic. The star here is young ginger: milder than mature ginger yet excellent at warming the middle, dispelling cold, resolving phlegm, and drying dampness. Its warmth balances the duck’s coolness, creating a dish that scatters cold-damp without overheating. The ginger’s fragrance penetrates the duck, eliminating any gaminess while reviving spleen yang—ideal for those chilled by AC or overindulgence in cold foods, relieving stomach discomfort and stubborn dampness.

Final Thoughts

These dishes embody the wisdom of seasonal eating—supporting yang without aggression, addressing summer’s unique challenges with culinary finesse. By incorporating them into your diet, you equip your body to handle the heat and humidity gracefully, ensuring a summer of vitality and ease.

(Note: The original text was expanded to meet the 800-word requirement while maintaining coherence and depth.)