What do you usually eat during winter season? Is it vegetable soup or clam chowder? Since I came to the US, I usually see Americans eating foods with lots of carbohydrates, such as pizza and pasta. And actually, Winona is one of the coldest regions in the US. Because I’m a student from Asia, I’m going to introduce East-Asian winter food with recipes!
Have you ever eaten winter Asian food? If you haven’t, please take this opportunity to cook and enjoy!
Japan: Chanko nabe
This is one of the traditional Japanese hot pots! Chanko nabe (ちゃんこ鍋) is a Japanese stew, commonly eaten in vast quantity by sumo wrestlers as part of a weight-gain diet. It contains many vegetables, and it is low-calorie and healthy!
Japan: Toshikoshi Soba
Most Japanese people eat “Toshikoshi-Soba,” which means buckwheat noodles. They are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Eve for good luck. Buckwheat noodles are slim and long. So, the most commonly held explanation for the origin of Toshikoshi-Soba is the wish for a “slim but long and healthy life.” As a topping, people usually put shrimp tempura on the soba; because shrimp turn red and white when boiled, those colors are said to bring luck.
Korea: Kumuchi-jjigae
Do you like spicy food? If so, I highly recommend eating this! Kimuchi is a kind of fermented food. It is made by using hot pepper, so the ingredient “Capsaicin” of it is good for keeping warm inside the body and preventing sickness. It is a super good food to enjoy during the winter season!
China: Hot Pot
When I went to Boston, I had hot pot in Chinatown. It is kind of a medicinal cuisine, so the soup contains some herb medicine. These are good for digestive function, mental health, moisturizing effect, anti-aging, etc! The pot is divided into two. It expresses “antipodes,” so basically it is popular to cook “red” soup—which is the spicy one—(麻辣)—and “white” soup—which is chicken stock—(白湯). Therefore, you can enjoy two different flavors! Recently, there are unique tastes such as Curry and Tomato soup! It is fun to find your favorite one! If you click here or here, you can get more recipes for variations of hot pot and instructions on how to cook it at home.
I just introduced a part of Asian winter food to stay warm. But as you can see, Asian food contains lots of ingredients, especially vegetables! If you have these foods, you can be healthier, warmer, and avoid getting colds! Have a nice winter break!