Early Autumn Meaty Chinese Dishes / 貼秋膘

Autumn food Autumn recipe braised meat braised pork Cantonese food Chinese food Chinese recipe meat meaty pourtry

Early autumn is the period around Liqiu, also known as ‘start of autumn’, the 13th solar term in East Asian. Autumn in Hong Kong is short but the most lovely, sunny, breezy and not as hot as the half-year-long summer. Traditionally Chinese would have dietary supplementation when season changes. The dietary supplementation in early autumn is called ‘tieqiubiao/貼秋膘’, meaning to eat more meat, particularly fat meat in rich seasoning. Generally speaking, people tend to loss appetite in summer and have lighter food choices, such as fruit and vegetable, or lean meat. Thus in autumn, there is a growing desire for better appetite in order to store energy to overcome the coming cool seasons.

Braised, stewed or grilled pork, chicken or duck, such types of dishes are those I would have in this season. However, it doesn’t mean that one eats too much out of sheer boredom. The key principle of my diet is ‘balanced’, which is to have balanced calories, proteins and fibers, such as to braise meat with dried vegetable, root vegetable or tofu, or to have meat with vegetable and grain in a meal.

Pot dish in cold night – Cantonese Chicken Casserole, get to know Cantonese cooking wine

廣式雞煲

Early Autumn seasonal food – How to cook braised duck and taro

初秋芋頭燜鴨

Hakka Braised Dry Bamboo Shoot with Pork Belly

客家筍乾燒肉

Lu-rou Rice/Braised Pork Belly with Rice, a healthier version

健康版滷肉飯

Guilty Braised Pork Chop with Green Onion

葱烧猪扒