The winter solstice is one of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms, generally in the 11th month of the lunar calendar. The winter solstice marks the beginning of a cold winter when sunlight hits the southern hemisphere and the northern hemisphere officially begins. An old proverb has been passed down for thousands of years: "The winter solstice is at the end of the month, and the spring festival is not worn." This proverb expresses an interesting meteorological observation: if the winter solstice falls in the first 11th month of the lunar calendar, then by the time of the Spring Festival, the cold weather is no longer severe, and people can even do without thick jackets.
This traditional method of observation may lack scientific basis, but in agrarian societies, people's observation and perception of the weather has become an important life skill. The winter solstice is at the beginning of the month, counting nine from the day of the winter solstice, and reaching six or nine by the time of the New Year, which often indicates that the cold season has passed and will bring a warm dawn. This year's winter solstice is on the tenth day of November, which belongs to the "head of the month", according to the common saying left by the ancestors, this year's Spring Festival may not be too cold compared to previous years.
"Refreshing winter solstice sloppy year, sloppy winter solstice refreshing year". This is another agricultural proverb. This means that if the weather is clear during the winter solstice, it may rain and snow during the New Year, because the roads used to be dirt and muddy, and if it snows during the winter solstice, it will be sunny by the time of the New Year. Although this traditional wisdom of predicting the meteorological changes of the Spring Festival through the winter solstice weather is a bit outdated in the context of highly developed modern science and technology, such observation methods used to be a part of people's lives in the agricultural society.
However, as the global climate warms, these traditional weather observations may gradually lose their accuracy. Rising global temperatures lead to uncertainty in meteorological changes, making traditional astronomical observations inadequate for predicting meteorology. Advances in technology have made people rely more on modern weather forecasts than on simple proverbs and folklore.
During the winter solstice, people still maintain their concern for physical health. There is a proverb that says: "Three nine make up for one winter", which means that in the three nine days, people should pay more attention to health care, supplement nutrition, and be healthy throughout the winter. In winter, the body's ability to fight off cold and viruses weakens, so proper health care is especially important at this time. This also confirms another old saying: "Eat a bowl of mutton on the winter solstice, and you don't cough or wheeze." "The mutton flat here refers to mutton ravioli. Lamb is considered a good choice for winter health care because of its warming properties. Here's how to make a delicious lamb ravioli:
【Lamb ravioli】
Ingredients: wonton skin, fresh lamb, green onion, ginger, coriander, salt, pepper, light soy sauce, sesame oil, cooking oil
Here's how:
1. Chop the mutton into meat filling, add light soy sauce, salt, a little pepper, sesame oil and stir well, add pepper water in small quantities and many times, and stir until the mutton is completely absorbed.
2. Finely chop the green onion and ginger, mix it with the mutton filling, add cooking oil, and stir until well mixed to make the filling.
3. Wrap the wonton wrapper in the filling and pinch the edges tightly to form a semi-circular ravioli. Bring the water to a boil, add the ravioli, cook until the wontons float, and cook for a while more to make sure the filling is cooked through.
4. Add chopped seaweed, shrimp skin, light soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and pepper to the bowl, put the boiled wontons into the bowl, pour in the hot soup, sprinkle some coriander, put some blanched greens, and a bowl of delicious mutton wontons is complete.
This lamb ravioli dish is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients, making it ideal for the cold winter months. In the special solar term of the winter solstice, enjoying a bowl of hot mutton wontons can not only keep out the cold, but also a beautiful continuation of traditional culture. I hope that in the Spring Festival of 2024, no matter whether it is cold or warm, everyone can spend this important moment warmly with food.