On the Menu | How the ‘wrong’ food offers me cold comfort during this hot Hong Kong summer
The recent summer solstice on June 21 was brutal, with a temperature high of 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit). I have always been impressed by friends of mine who, on the hottest days of the year, can pass up a glass of iced water in favour of their usual mug of warm water. I, on the oth
By Charmaine Mok
The recent summer solstice on June 21 was brutal, with a temperature high of 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit). I have always been impressed by friends of mine who, on the hottest days of the year, can pass up a glass of iced water in favour of their usual mug of warm water. I, on the other hand, having arrived at a restaurant that day half-human, half-puddle, needed about three full tumblers of the most chilled liquid available to resume my usual solid form.
But, as many traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners will tell you, that kind of shock to the system will invariably have long-term consequences – from gastrointestinal disorders to fatigue and brain fog. That is because ingesting cold food and drink is believed to deplete the spleen, one of the most important organs for digestion and one that thrives on yang (heating) energy.
Some TCM practitioners even believe that drinking cold water on the hottest days of the year can cause a person’s qi, or energy, to become stuck in the body – and that warm water can actually have a more cooling effect.
But in the current climate emergency that the world is living in, with the average summer day feeling like you’re in a steamy convection oven, can you forgive me for thinking more about short-term comfort?
At home, my eating habits shift with the seasons. During the recent spate of cooler, rainy days, I was obsessed with soothing soups and spicy broths. As the sun returns with a vengeance, I have been gravitating towards what requires the least amount of heat in the kitchen. I’m a big fan of dried soba or udon, though thin somen noodles, which take no more than three or four minutes to soften in boiling water, keep stove usage at a minimum.
Fresh, crunchy, cold vegetables like bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and the occasional blanched okra are constantly on rotation. Proteins like eggs and salmon fillets, again, take no time to cook through. Dehydrated seaweed is a godsend, as are shelf-stable staples like tinned sardines or tuna.
A dashi-based mentsuyu (noodle sauce) stays long-term in my fridge, ready to be deployed at any time. I have even prepared it in ice-cube form, so that regular ice doesn’t dilute my noodles. A squeeze of lime or lemon, and a sprinkling of seasoned sesame seeds, complete my go-to cold noodle bowl.
To up the probiotic factor, fermented foods like kimchi – which, at least in TCM terms, can help dispel dampness in the body because of its spiciness – and natto are non-negotiables.
Not following up the meal with an icy sorbet or ice cream is my little concession to not taking the cold eating thing to the extreme.