Eye Candy (cooking with raisins)

Ok maybe you're one of the very health aware people who knew that January is National Glaucoma Month and you've been doing all kinds of good things for your eyes all month. More likely, you're among the many who have been looking at glowing screens way too long and have dry, red and irritated eyes.

Either way, this recipe is for you. In Chinese medicine the eyes have an association with the Liver. Dry irritated eyes could be the result of a "Liver Blood" or "Liver Blood and Kidney Yin" deficiency. (Liver Blood and Kidney Yin deficiency can cause a lot of problems among them menopausal symptoms so if you've been told that this is your "pattern" this recipe would also apply.)

Raisins, like other berries, benefit the Liver, fish tends  to build yin while the sour flavor of the vinegar also has a Liver affinity. The sour flavor also astringes which balances the dispersing nature of the onions. The onions, by their dispersing nature, help keep things from being too heavy.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound of mild flavored fish, tilapia and haddock would be good choices. I used sole because it looked the best today

1 medium/large size onion sliced thinly. I used a yellow onion because I had , but other types of onions would work just as well

1/3 cup raisins - I used the lighter variety, because I liked the way it looked, but the regular dark ones are just fine

3 tablespoons rice vinegar or chinese cooking wine  - the wine is made from rice and has salt added alcohol would lend a "moving" quality - if you use the cooking wine still add a little vinegar to get the sour flavor

3 tablespoons of water

1-2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts - not too many due to their oily nature

A few leaves of cilantro or parsley

Sea salt to taste

Citrus zest (optional, I didn't use it because I didn't have any, but it's really good if you do have it and helps regulate Qi too!)

 Enough olive oil to saute the onions

Directions:

Soak raisins in water to rehydrate them

Saute the onions in a frying pan that you can find the lid to. Season with salt while cooking. You want to cook the onions slowly here  - cook till soft, but not brown. Add the raisins and mix. Then play the fish on top of the onions, season with a little salt, add vinegar/wine and water and cover. Don't leave the kitchen because the fish will cook in a few minutes. It's basically steaming which preserves the Yin. Before serving add a few nuts, cilantro and citrus zest.

Feel free to play with the ingredient amounts. This is cooking, not baking or rocket science. You may want it more sour - add more vinegar. The recipe will then be a bit more astringent. Don't use too much alcohol, though, as that would make the dish too warming and moving for the purpose of moisturizing. (Alcohol and certain deserts - well that's a different matter and post. - soon, I promise!)

 

 

Comments

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I tried my best to do the same, and I made it! My friends love it so much.

[supra for kids]

Don't know what is wrong what is rite but i know that every one has there own point of view and same goes to this one

[Geona Stark]

Cool! The recipe and the medicine itself is promising. However, before women try to make one, they should still ask advice from a gynecologist. They are the ones who look after women, especially the ones under the menopausal stage. They can give better solutions to such problems.

[J-in-Catering]

The concepts of blood and yin being influenced by foods sounds really interesting! Especially when included in a good looking recipe like this.