Young ginger, hairy gourd and chicken stir-fry on rice
Chicken stir-fried with in-season young ginger, hairy gourd and carrot — fragrant and gently warming rather than fiery, and kind to a Yang-deficient stomach even in summer.
- 25 min
- Serves 2
- Stir-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: Great Heat may be scorching, but caught between air-conditioning and iced drinks, a Yang-deficient constitution still suffers cold hands and feet, a chilly stomach and loose stools. Young ginger is pungent and warm yet milder than mature ginger, dispelling cold and warming the stomach; chicken warms the middle and boosts qi, and neutral hairy gourd relieves summer heat — warming without overheating.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 10 min- 1Slice the chicken and marinate with the soy sauce, cornflour and a little oil for 10 minutes. Peel and slice the hairy gourd and thinly slice the carrot and young ginger.
- 2Heat the oil in a wok, fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant, add the chicken and stir-fry until almost cooked, then remove.
- 3Stir-fry the carrot and gourd in the same wok for 2 minutes, add a splash of water, cover and cook for 1 minute until the gourd softens.
- 4Return the chicken, toss with the oyster sauce, drizzle with sesame oil and serve with hot rice.
Cautions
- Young ginger is still warming: use less if you have a sore throat or mouth ulcers.
Chef's tips
- Pick young ginger with thin, smooth skin and pink tips; it is at its best in summer.
The TCM view
Chicken is sweet and warm, warming the middle, boosting qi and replenishing essence. Young ginger is pungent and slightly warm, warming the middle, easing nausea and dispersing cold more gently than mature ginger; hairy gourd is sweet and neutral, relieving summer heat and strengthening the spleen, and carrot aids digestion. Together they warm the stomach without drying — suited to Yang deficiency in summer.
