月儿鸡 Yue’er Chicken

[Ho Kwok Leung]

月儿鸡
菜系：粵菜中的客家菜（東江菜）
营养丰富，地方风味浓。

食材
光鸡1只（约900克），
客家糯米酒1000克，
精盐7.5克，
白糖25克，
姜块100克，
干淀粉7.5克，
植物油100克。

烹饪方法
1.
光鸡洗净，斩成每块40克，加入精盐3.5克，干淀粉拌匀。
2.
中火烧热炒锅，下油加入姜块爆香，再放鸡块炒至有香味透出，下糯米酒、白糖，煮沸后加精盐，转入沙锅内，加盖，用慢火焖10分钟，原煲上席。



我的創作思路
這個菜式是客家人給產後婦女補身子食用的菜式，所以菜式名叫做月兒雞。

可以把白糖改為紅糖。
根據1596年李时珍的《本草纲目》记载“红糖利脾缓肝、补血活血、通淤以及排毒露”

雞可以改為豬腳，豬蹄。
从中医角度来看，猪脚（猪蹄）对产后妇女的调理具有重要作用，尤其在补益气血、滋阴润燥、促进乳汁分泌和恢复体质等方面。以下是具体分析：

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### **一、中医理论中的猪脚功效**
1. **补益气血，恢复元气**
- 产后女性因分娩失血耗气，易出现**气血两虚**（表现为乏力、面色苍白、头晕等）。
- 猪脚性味**甘、咸、平**，归**胃经**和**肾经**，能**滋阴养血**，补充生产消耗的气血。
- 《本草纲目》记载猪蹄能“通乳汁，托疮疡”，其丰富的胶原蛋白和脂肪可转化为气血，滋养脏腑。

2. **通络下乳，促进泌乳**
- 中医认为乳汁由**气血化生**，若产后气血不足或经络不通，会导致**乳汁稀少**。
- 猪脚搭配通草、花生、黄豆等食材，可疏通乳腺经络，增强气血生化，改善乳汁不足（如经典药膳**通草猪蹄汤**）。

3. **滋阴润燥，缓解便秘**
- 产后因失血、阴虚，易出现**肠燥便秘**。
- 猪脚富含**津液和油脂**，能润肠道、滋阴液，缓解产后大便干结。

4. **强健筋骨，修复关节**
- 产后肾气亏损，易腰膝酸软、关节疼痛。
- 猪脚入肾经，通过补益肾精，辅助强健筋骨，尤其适合产后长期哺乳或劳累的女性。

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### **、注意事项**
1. **体质辩证使用**：
- 湿热体质（舌苔黄腻、大便黏滞）或痰湿较重者，需减少食用，避免滋腻碍胃。
- 高血脂、消化不良者慎用，可搭配生姜、陈皮等理气化湿。

2. **产后调理阶段**：
- 产后第一周以排恶露为主，不宜立即大补，建议恶露减少后再食用猪脚。

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### **、总结**
中医认为，猪脚通过**补气血、通乳络、滋阴液**，能有效改善产后虚弱、乳汁不足、便秘等问题。但需根据体质和恢复阶段合理搭配食材，避免过补生滞。若产后出现严重气血亏虚或乳腺阻塞，建议咨询中医师辨证调理。

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客家糯米酒，客家娘酒，月子酒，客家黃酒 Hakka Glutinous Rice Wine, Hakka Mother Wine, Confinement Wine, Hakka Yellow Wine

**Yue’er Chicken**
**Cuisine**: Hakka cuisine (Dongjiang cuisine) under Cantonese cuisine
**Features**: Nutrient-rich with strong regional flavors.

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### **Ingredients**
- 1 whole chicken (cleaned, approx. 900g)
- 1000g Hakka glutinous rice wine
- 7.5g salt
- 25g sugar
- 100g ginger (cut into chunks)
- 7.5g dried starch
- 100g vegetable oil

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### **Cooking Method**
1. Clean the chicken and cut it into 40g pieces. Mix with 3.5g salt and dried starch.
2. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Sauté ginger chunks until fragrant, then add chicken pieces and stir-fry until aromatic.
3. Add glutinous rice wine and sugar. Bring to a boil, then add remaining salt. Transfer to a clay pot, cover, and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Serve directly in the clay pot.

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### **Creative Inspiration**
This dish, named **Yue’er Chicken** ("Moon Child Chicken"), is traditionally prepared by the Hakka people for postpartum women to aid recovery.

**Ingredient Substitutions**:
- **Sugar → Brown sugar**: According to Li Shizhen’s *Compendium of Materia Medica* (1596), brown sugar "benefits the spleen, soothes the liver, nourishes blood, activates circulation, and detoxifies."
- **Chicken → Pig’s trotters**: From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, pig’s trotters are highly effective for postpartum recovery.

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### **TCM Analysis of Pig’s Trotters for Postpartum Care**

#### **1. TCM Benefits of Pig’s Trotters**
1. **Tonify Qi and Blood, Restore Vitality**
- Postpartum blood and qi deficiency (symptoms: fatigue, pale complexion, dizziness).
- Pig’s trotters (sweet, salty, neutral; enter stomach and kidney meridians) nourish yin and blood.
- Rich in collagen and fats, they convert to qi-blood to nourish organs (*Compendium of Materia Medica*).

2. **Promote Lactation**
- Breast milk derives from qi-blood. Trotters paired with herbs like *tong cao* (rice-paper plant pith) or peanuts unblock mammary channels (e.g., *Tong Cao Pig’s Trotter Soup*).

3. **Moisten Dryness, Relieve Constipation**
- Trotters’ natural oils lubricate intestines, alleviating postpartum constipation.

4. **Strengthen Bones and Joints**
- Nourish kidney essence to address postpartum joint pain or weakness.

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#### **2. Precautions**
- **Constitution Considerations**: Avoid for damp-heat constitutions (yellow tongue coating, sticky stools) or high cholesterol. Pair with ginger or citrus peel to counteract greasiness.
- **Postpartum Timing**: Consume after the first week (post-lochia discharge phase).

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#### **3. Summary**
Pig’s trotters in TCM address postpartum weakness, low milk supply, and constipation through **qi-blood nourishment**, **lactation support**, and **yin hydration**. Customize with TCM guidance for severe deficiencies or blocked lactation.

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**Note**: For clinical symptoms, consult a licensed TCM practitioner.