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Crispy Lamb with Cumin, Scallions, and Red Chiles

7/26/2022

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​Following is a recipe for Cumin Lamb that appeared in the New York Times this morning.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013036-crispy-lamb-with-cumin-scallions-and-red-chiles

"Dongbei cai is the food of Northeast China. Weiliang Chen, the chef at Northeast Taste Chinese Food, the biggest of the Dongbei restaurants in Queens, makes an elegant, tender version of a popular Dongbei stir-fry of lamb with dried chilies, made fragrant and crunchy with cumin seeds — a legacy of the nomadic Mongols who long ruled Central Asia, carrying spices on horseback along with their arrows. Lamb is considered a Northern taste and excessively “strong” by many Chinese cooks; it is always cooked with powerful aromatics, like chili peppers and garlic, to subdue it." 
—Julia Moskin

The restaurant is in Flushing, Queens, where I live for part of the year.  I like the Cumin Lamb at the Hunan Kitchen of Grand Sichuan that is also very spicy.  A word about the comment that lamb is considered a "Northern" taste:  in Chinese medicine, lamb is considered "sweet" in taste, and "hot" in temperature.  It is therefore made in the winter months because of its ability to tonify Qi, Blood, and Yang, and to expel Cold. In Northern China, it is typically made into a stew with just a few hot and spicy herbs to counter its strong flavor; in Southern China it is typically braised with more herbs.

Why am I recommending this dish in the height of summer, during the middle of a heat wave?  Because it is spicy, it will make you sweat - and sweating will cool you down.  Although it is logical to try to beat the heat with cold food and drink try eating a small amount of spicy food for dinner and see if you feel better. A glass of cold beer would seem the perfect match (for me) but ice tea or sparkling water would be great as well if you are so inclined.  Watermelon is the perfect desert,
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Crispy Lamb With Cumin, Scallions and Red Chiles

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 tablespoon egg white
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder, cut into strips about 1/2 inch by 2 inches
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons cumin seeds, lightly cracked in a mortar or grinder
  • 2 tablespoons whole dried red chile peppers, about 2 inches long
  • 4 scallions, white and green parts only, cut on diagonal into 1-inch lengths
  •  Sesame oil, for seasoning

PREPARATION
  • In a bowl combine egg white, wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add lamb and set aside to marinate 1 hour.
  • Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Swirl half the oil into wok and carefully add lamb, spreading it in a single layer. Let sear a moment, then stir-fry briskly just until lamb is no longer pink. Transfer to a plate. (If your wok is not large enough to hold all the lamb, do this in 2 batches, using extra oil.)
  • Swirl remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil into empty wok, add cumin seeds and chiles and stir-fry a few seconds until cumin seeds start to pop. Press chiles against sides of wok to char their skins.
  • Add scallions and stir-fry 1 minute. Then return lamb to wok and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes more until lamb is cooked through. Turn off heat, sprinkle with salt and drops of sesame oil, and serve immediately.
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More Vegetables and Protein; less Carbohydrates

7/21/2022

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My lunch today consisted of leftover grilled tuna in a pesto/mayonnaise dressing, over a green salad with mushrooms, red peppers, and scallions.  The addition of some lemon juice brightened the dish up considerably.  No carbs here:  just some simple food for the sake of tasting good and being healthy.  The link below is to a Tedx Talk with Dr. Sarah Hallberg; it concerns the link between carbohydrates and Type 2 diabetes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da1vvigy5tQ

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The Phoenix Stretch

7/21/2022

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Following is an excellent article by NYIA instructor Valerie Ghent about the Phoenix Stretch.  I use the Phoenix Stretch daily as a method for treating my lower back pain, pain that is related to traumatic injuries sustained in the past, as well as to the inevitable vicissitudes of old(er) age, and particularly after I have been sitting for hours studying Chinese herbology at MCPHS/NESA. (The laptop is both a boon and a bane of modern-day living!)  As you will read in the article, Ms. Ghent's recovery was also brought about through acupuncture and martial arts practice (and I would not be surprised if Chinese herbology had a role to play, as well.) Pay close attention to the "Key Points" described in the article, and to the suggestion to use a chair or low bench if wish. Breathing "into" to lower back is something that you will learn to do in time.  I think that you will find the Phoenix Stretch to be an invaluable addition to your daily routine.

https://www.internalartsinternational.com/free/phoenix-stretch/

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How to Make Bone Broth

7/19/2022

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Below is a gallery of images that show how to make bone broth. 

Bone broth is used in Chinese medicine help heal broken bones, after the bones have started knitting together, and during the later stages of the healing process.  I used it recently to help heal a “boxer’s fracture” on my right hand, along with Chinese herbs that are specifically suited for this purpose.

If you think that you have a broken bone, then you should consult a doctor right away.

Since I love to cook, my recipe for bone broth is the same recipe that I use to make demi-glace (minus salt, pepper, Western herbs, and red wine); I don’t reduce it as much as I would for demi, and I add Chinese herbs that nourish Qi and Blood, as well as herbs that tonify the Kidneys and strengthen bones, during the last hour of the decoction process.

The recipe is as follows:

1. Roast veal bones and root vegetables and then transfer them to a large pot
2. Add water almost up to the top of the pot and simmer for several hours until the water is reduced by half.
3. Remove the bones and vegetables and strain the solution through some cheese cloth.
4. Return the decoction to a pot and simmer for several hours again until it is reduced by half.
5.  Transfer the liquid to jars.  Chill and remove the tallow that has risen to the top of the jars.  (This tallow is an excellent fat for sautéing vegetables, so don’t throw it away!)

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Tai Chi Reported to Ease Fibromyalgia.

7/18/2022

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The following article appeared in the New York Times on August 18, 2010.  It describes how the practice of a Chinese internal martial art, Tai Qi Quan can help to ease the pain associated with fibromyalgia.

www.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/health/19taichi.html

For those without a Times subscription, I offer the following summary:

A study published by The New England Journal of Medicine concluded that the practice of Tai Qi Quan may be effective as a therapy for fibromyalgia.
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"A clinical trial at Tufts Medical Center found that after 12 weeks of tai chi, patients with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition, did significantly better in measurements of pain, fatigue, physical functioning, sleeplessness and depression than a comparable group given stretching exercises and wellness education. Tai chi patients were also more likely to sustain improvement three months later."
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“It’s an impressive finding,” said Dr. Daniel Solomon, chief of clinical research in rheumatology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, who was not involved in the research. “This was a well-done study. It was kind of amazing that the effects seem to carry over.”

It's been nearly 12 years since the publication of this article, and as the practice of ancient Chinese arts has move into the mainstream, the doubts that people have had about "alternative therapies" have probably eased. 

An article from the NIH in 2018 reports a trial that concluded that the practice of Tai Qi Quan had similar benefits, and compared favorably with aerobic exercise:

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/research/research-results/tai-chi-has-similar-or-greater-benefits-than-aerobic-exercise-for-fibromyalgia-study-shows#:~:text=This%20study%20showed%20that%20tai,classes%20than%20aerobic%20exercise%20sessions.

Nei Gong and Qi Gong sets that are similar Tai Qi Quan can provide the same benefits with respect to fibromyalgia.  Gentle bodywork, acupuncture, and Chinese herbs can also help, as will some sort regular exercise, especially walking.
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    Stephen Lamade

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