Eat, Don’t Drink Your Liquids
In February, the cold days are still short, and the nights feel dark and long. However, the year has completed the bottom half of the yin cycle and is now ascending as the yang increases. While we still desire and need to rest, we sense a shift in Nature’s mood.
Chinese medicine is a practice of the correspondences. Each phase of the year corresponds to an organ system, an element, and an activity. In the winter, our Kidneys and Bladder—which differ from their biomedical anatomical or physiological functions—require care and attention. They correspond with the element of water, and their seasonal activity is to rest, restore, and replenish until Spring arrives.
Winter calls for hot, slow-cooked foods and drinks. Dishes cooked for extended periods develop the ability to warm the Kidneys and nourish our hair, teeth, and bones—all of which rely on healthy Kidney qi. A mere five minutes in the microwave won’t suffice!
A Chinese medicine teacher once advised me: eat, don’t drink your fluids. Soups are an excellent way to both hydrate and nourish.
My favorite dish to cook during this time of year is based on a Portuguese fish stew known as Caldeirada. Made with cod—the potato of the fish world—it warms you from the tips of your toes to the tops of your ears. It’s flavorful, healthy, and remarkably low in calories.
Portuguese Fish Stew (serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 1-1.5 pounds fresh cod
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 4 cups low-sodium fish broth (or substitute chicken/vegetable broth and add 1 Tb. Red Boat fish sauce)
- 2 small bay leaves
- Several sprigs of oregano (or 1 tsp dried oregano)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- Ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup dry white wine with a neutral profile
- 1 mild yellow onion, halved and cut lengthwise
- 2-3 carrots, cubed
- 2 medium-large white potatoes, skinned and cut into ¾ inch cubes
- 1 Tb. tomato paste
- Optional: 1/8 cup capers, rinsed and drained; 1/8 cup black olives in brine, rinsed, drained, and sliced in half
- Water as needed
- Parsley, washed, dried, and finely chopped
- Optional: a pinch of red pepper flakes (to be added to the onions when sautéing)
- Salt to taste after cooking
Method:
- Wash the cod, pat it dry, and cut it into large 1.5–2” pieces. Squeeze half a lemon over the fish and let it rest in the fridge.
- In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions until tender and transparent (about 6 minutes). Add the diced carrots and stir. Then, add the wine and let the alcohol cook off until it is no longer detectable (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add the bay leaves, oregano, smoked paprika, ground pepper, and tomato paste. Stir, then add the fish stock. Bring to a low boil and cover for about 15 minutes. When you remove the lid, the broth should smell delightful.
- Add the potatoes and return to a soft boil. Cover again and simmer on low heat until the potatoes are tender and all the flavors have mingled (about 15 minutes). If you need to replace the liquid at any time, use water to ensure there is always plenty of liquid in the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a lively simmer over medium heat. Cover and cook the fish until it is pearly, not transparent, when you flake off a piece (about 5 minutes). Turn off the heat and let it sit tightly covered for a few minutes.
- Serve in bowls with plenty of broth. Garnish with finely chopped Italian parsley leaves and enjoy with rich, crusty bread. You’ll want to sop up every last drop. Enjoy!
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany C. Hoyt is a doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine with over 25 years of East Asian medicine and lifestyle training. In 2006, she received her Master’s in Acupuncture, and in 2017 she graduated with a Doctorate (DAOM) from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco. Tiffany wrote a dissertation on comparative approaches to the treatment of psoriasis.
Dr Hoyt practices all branches of Oriental Medicine: Acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, nutrition, Asian bodywork, meditation, qigong and movement, and geomancy.
