5 Minutes, No Knife Needed! Rainy Season Wellness Meals to Get You Through with Torn Umeboshi and Potato-Corn
Some regions have already entered the rainy season, and the damp, humid days are continuing.
To all the working moms running around every day with work, childcare, and housework, you are doing an amazing job.
Have you been feeling any of these symptoms lately?
You feel as heavy as lead in the morning and can't get out of bed
By the evening, you are hit with mysterious irritability and swelling
Your child whines that they have 'no appetite,' and your energy for making dinner drops to zero
Please don't blame yourself by thinking, 'Maybe I just don't have enough willpower...'
That is not your fault.It is all the work of the 'rainy season humidity'!
In this article, based on the wisdom of Eastern medicine (medicinal cooking), I will introduce a rescue meal that you can make in 5 minutes without using a knife or cutting board, which will help both parent and child feel energized.
Why is the rainy season so exhausting? The key lies in the 'gastrointestinal tract (spleen)'
In Eastern medicine, the gloomy humidity of the rainy season is called 'damp evil' (shitsuja). This humidity is actually something our 'gastrointestinal tract (spleen)' is very bad at handling.
When the gastrointestinal tract becomes waterlogged, it cannot properly create energy (qi) from food. As a result,
Excess moisture accumulates in the body, leading to 'swelling and heavy lethargy'
Lack of energy makes the brain and body tire easily, making you more prone to 'irritability'
You fall into this vicious cycle.
That is why what you need right now is not something difficult, but
'warming the gastrointestinal tract to make it healthy, and flushing out excess moisture.' That is all!
1. [For Adults] Torn Umeboshi and Seaweed 'Fatigue Reset Soup'
First, here is a special medicinal soup that moms can use to recharge in 1 minute after picking up the kids from daycare and before making dinner. Of course, it is even better if the whole family eats it.
〇 Ingredients (for 1 mug)
Torn pickled plum (umeboshi): 1 piece (just tear it apart with your hands)
Dried seaweed (wakame): a pinch
Bonito flakes: half a small packet
White ground sesame: appropriate amount
Hot water: 1 cup
Soy sauce: just a few drops
〇 How to make
Just put all the ingredients in a mug, pour in hot water, and add a few drops of soy sauce!
💡 Wellness point
The sharp acidity of the plum tightens up the 'Qi (energy)' that feels sluggish due to the dampness of the rainy season, making you feel refreshed. Furthermore, the seaweed cleanses excess moisture (edema) from the body.
2. [For children] Torn plum and tuna 'infinite rice'
Children also tend to lose their appetite or get fussy during the rainy season. This is a quick, mix-only menu that combines the acidity with tuna, which children love, to make it milder.
〇 Ingredients (for 1 rice bowl)
Warm rice: 1 bowl
Canned tuna: 1-2 tablespoons (lightly drained)
Torn plum: a small amount, finely torn
Roasted sesame seeds/sesame oil: a small amount each
*You can also add torn Korean seaweed or shiso leaves if you like.
〇 How to make
Just mix all the ingredients into the rice!
💡 Nutrition & Wellness point
Tuna (tuna/bonito) is a helpful ingredient in medicinal cooking that 'energizes the stomach and intestines and replenishes blood.' Thanks to the richness of the tuna and sesame oil, the sourness of the plum disappears, making it easy for even small children to eat. The citric acid in the plum helps children's digestion and also prevents summer fatigue.
3. [Fun for parents and children] Potato-corn 'fatigue reset pancakes'
These are chewy pancakes made with potatoes and corn, the ultimate rainy season duo that 'energizes the stomach and expels excess moisture.' They are great as a snack or as an 'extra dish' for dinner! Let the kids help you make them.
〇 Ingredients (easy-to-make quantity)
Potatoes: 2
Canned corn (whole kernel): 3-4 tablespoons (drain well)
Potato starch: 1.5-2 tablespoons
Salt: a pinch
Butter (or oil): a little
*If you like, mix in some pizza cheese for an even more delicious treat!
〇 How to make
Microwave: Wrap the potatoes in plastic wrap with their skins on and heat in the microwave (about 4-5 minutes at 600W).
Tear and mash: While hot, peel off the skins (using a paper towel makes it easy), put them in a bowl, and mash with a masher.
Mix: Add the corn, potato starch, and salt (and pizza cheese if you have it) to the bowl and mix well.
Cook: Shape into balls, cook in a frying pan with heated butter until golden brown on both sides, and you're done!
💡 Nutrition & Wellness Tips
Potatoes charge up your stomach and intestines, while corn has an excellent 'diuretic effect (moisture detox).' Even during the busy evening hours, the 'frustration of solo parenting' can quickly turn into 'fun parent-child clay play.'
Stop trying so hard today and just go to sleep.
During the rainy season, if you managed to work, pick up the kids, and prepare the 'torn plum' or 'potato-corn,' you've already earned a perfect score of 100.
Rather than trying to do everything perfectly, using your wisdom to make things easier is the best way to get through this season.
Tonight, turn off the lights early, and as you lie in bed, imagine yourself 'feeling surprisingly light and enjoying what you want to do,' and drift off to sleep with a smile on your face!
May your day tomorrow be even a little more comfortable.
Thank you for reading.