Eating mutton during the Winter Solstice helps nourish the kidneys and strengthen the spleen, while also providing protection against the cold

　　The Winter Solstice is the third solar term of winter. In astronomy, it is considered the beginning of winter, but for most regions, this timing is actually a bit late. After the Winter Solstice, the weather becomes even colder, yet it represents an excellent opportunity for health preservation. So, what should one eat for health during the Winter Solstice? Lamb is the best food for warming and nourishing the body. Moreover, in northern regions, there is a custom of slaughtering sheep during the Winter Solstice, which illustrates that lamb is indeed the finest tonic for winter.

　　As the saying goes, “Eat mutton on the beginning of winter, and you’ll stay warm throughout the season.” Mutton is warm in nature and makes an excellent food for keeping warm in cold weather. In the “Compendium of Materia Medica,” mutton is described as an outstanding tonic that “reinforces vital energy and benefits the blood and qi.” Eating mutton on the Winter Solstice can help dispel the cold and warm the heart and stomach. Mutton also has the benefits of replenishing qi and nourishing blood, protecting the liver, and improving blood circulation. Consuming it regularly can help enhance one's complexion and moisturize the skin.

　　Braised Lamb

　　Raw materials: Main ingredient: 1000 grams of raw lamb meat with the skin on. Auxiliary ingredients: 5 grams of green garlic leaves, 50 grams of ginger, 10 grams of scallion bulbs, 100 grams of Shaoxing wine, 150 grams of red soy sauce, 100 grams of rock sugar, 5 grams of fine salt, and 2 grams of monosodium glutamate. 5 grams, 15 grams of starch dissolved in water. ?

　　Production process: Place the lamb in a pot of clean water, bring to a boil over medium heat, then remove and wash the lamb. Chop the green garlic leaves into segments and set aside. … Place the lamb, Shaoxing wine, red soy sauce, refined salt, scallion stems, and ginger chunks (loosely crushed) in a pot. Add enough water to cover the meat, bring to a boil over high heat, skim off the surface foam, then add rock sugar and simmer over low heat for about 3 hours. Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot, remove the bones, and cut it into 3.5-centimeter cubes. Return the cubes to the original pot and use high heat to reduce the juices until they become thick. When it becomes thick, add monosodium glutamate and green garlic leaves, then thicken it with cornstarch dissolved in water and bring it to a boil.

　　Efficacy: It can not only protect against the cold but also nourish the body, making it particularly suitable for consumption in winter, which is why it is known as a winter tonic.

　　Scallion Stir-Fried Lamb

　　Raw materials: Lamb shank (200 grams, trimmed), scallions (200 grams), 1 garlic clove, a small amount of Sichuan pepper powder, 20 grams of rice wine, 50 grams of soy sauce, a small amount of salt, a small amount of vinegar, a small amount of raw oil, 50 grams of sesame oil.

　　How to do it: Remove the tendons from the lamb shank and cut it into large, thin slices; chop the scallions into rings, which will turn into strips after stir-frying. … Mix the chopped scallions, raw oil (or lard), soy sauce, salt, wine, Sichuan pepper powder, and lamb leg slices together in a bowl. Heat a wok over high heat using raw oil, sesame oil, and crushed garlic. Add the lamb leg slices and scallions that have been prepared in advance, and stir-fry quickly over intense heat until they start to sizzle. Then add a little more sesame oil and vinegar before removing from the heat

　　Efficacy: Tonifying yang and regulating health, strengthening the waist and kidneys, nourishing the body and relieving deficiency—these effects can also help mitigate the impact of wind-cold.