Autumn choices

Coming into the autumn, it's getting cold and windy. The dry wind is seemingly absorbing water from our body. The temperature gap between day and night widens, and cold nights can be uncomfortable.

In the dry season, we may have no appetite, or have a dry throat. So at this time, foods that contain a lot of moisture are a good choice. It's better to eat some delicate dishes with flavors of sourness and sweetness, instead of spicy ones, and some fluid-filled foods, instead of dry ones.

Take time to stew a bowl of porridge or palatable soup that does a lot of good to our health, physically and mentally.

I feel joyful when cooking, as I enjoy the process with a peaceful heart, concentrating on food only. It's also a way to relax after a busy day of work.

Entering the autumn, I have tried some signature dishes in this season, which can help replenish water in our body and prevent some frequently-occurring illnesses in the fall. All the ingredients I have chosen like fungus and lotus root are healthy foods that suit this season.

Steamed Lotus Root Stuffed with Glutinous Rice

Steamed Lotus Root Stuffed with Glutinous Rice [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

Autumn is the harvest season for lotus root, which is good for increasing our appetite, and alleviating the dryness we feel as the cold winds come up. It is loaded with essential minerals like copper and valuable complex vitamins. When the crunchy lotus root is giving off a sweet flavor, it is delicious.

Ingredients:

Glutinous rice, lotus root, sugar (rock sugar or brown sugar), Chinese wolfberries, honey.

Procedures:

1. Clean the glutinous rice, and soak for one day in advance, to produce the best flavor.

2. Clean the lotus root, remove the peel and cut it at about 2cm from the end, where its body is plump.

3. Fill in the holes of lotus root with soaked glutinous rice using chopsticks.

4. Then cover the opening with the lotus root lid cut off earlier, and affix it with toothpicks.

5. Put this lotus root into the pressure cooker, and add enough water into the cooker to submerge the lotus root.

6. Put rock sugar or brown sugar, or both in the water inside the cooker, and boil for about one hour. (If you are not in a hurry, giving it two hours will produce a better taste)

7. Take the lotus roof out. When it's not too hot, slice it and drip some honey onto the slices. Decorate with the Chinese wolfberries.