Rain Water · Lunch · Qi Deficiency
Braised minced beef with Chinese yam & pumpkin on rice
Fresh Chinese yam and pumpkin braised soft with minced beef over rice — warming, easy to digest and great reheated.
- 35 min
- Serves 2
- Braise
- Easy
WarmingStrengthens digestion & qiWarms the stomach
Why it suits you: Qi Deficiency means tiring easily and a weak appetite, and the heavy damp of Rain Water adds a sluggish, weighed-down feeling. Beef, yam and pumpkin gently build qi and support digestion, braised soft so the afternoon doesn't drag.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min- 1Mix the beef with 2 tsp of the soy sauce, 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tbsp water, and leave for 10 minutes.
- 2Wearing gloves, peel the yam; peel the pumpkin too. Cut both into 1.5 cm cubes and dice the onion.
- 3Heat the oil in a wok and fry the ginger and onion until fragrant, then add the beef and stir until it changes colour.
- 4Add the pumpkin, yam and 200 ml water, bring to the boil, then cover and braise over medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.
- 5Season with the remaining soy sauce, thicken lightly with 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water, and spoon over hot rice.
Chef's tips
- Cook it the night before and pack the rice and topping separately; microwave for 2–3 minutes until piping hot — the yam and pumpkin taste even better.
- Fresh yam sap can make your hands itch — wear gloves, or rinse the root before peeling.
The TCM view
Beef is sweet and warm and builds qi and blood; Chinese yam is sweet and neutral and supports the spleen, lungs and kidneys; pumpkin is sweet and warm and strengthens the middle. Onion and ginger are pungent and warm, moving qi so the tonics don't sit heavy. Soft and sweet-warm — nourishing without burdening digestion.
