Flower glue
Flower glue, also known as fish glue, is the dried product of fish fat, that is, the organ of the fish that regulates the lifting and descending of the fish in the water, not the belly or stomach of the fish. The "belly" in the four best "abalone wing belly" is fish glue.
Edible flower gum in China has a long history. More than 1600 years ago, in the Northern Wei Jia Sixun 'Qi Min Zhi Shu', there was a record of the processing and consumption of totoaba maw. By the Tang Dynasty, flower gum became a tribute. The New Book of Tang and Geography records that Wu County (present-day Suzhou) pays tribute to "seven pounds of pressure (fish glue)" every year. By the Qing Dynasty, flower gum was listed as a tonic, and the "New Edition of Materia Medica" contained: Fish glue "tonifies lean blood".
Efficacy of flower gum:
Flower gum has the effect of nourishing the yin and moisturizing the lungs, tonifying the kidneys and improving the essence, nourishing the blood and stopping the bleeding, emollient and nourishing the face. Its main component is high-grade collagen, and contains a variety of vitamins and calcium, zinc, iron, selenium and other trace elements, its protein content is as high as 84.2%, fat is only 0.2%, is the ideal high-protein low-fat food.
In addition, flower glue can enhance the toughness and elasticity of muscle tissue, enhance physical strength, can help the human body eliminate fatigue, delay skin aging, whiten the skin, make the skin delicate and smooth, have health and beauty dietary therapeutic effects, but also enhance the digestion and absorption function of the gastrointestinal tract. Eating flower gum after childbirth can also promote uterine recovery, allowing wounds to heal faster and better. The effect of flower glue is so many, so it is more and more sought after by the majority of neighbors.
However, there are many kinds of flower glue on the market, and the price is also very different, how can you choose the flower glue that suits you? Deng Zhijun, deputy director of the Department of Pharmacy of the Affiliated Chinese Medicine Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, explained in detail to everyone:
Classification of flower gums
There are many common flower glues in the market, about two dozen kinds, subdivided into hundreds of kinds. Its species vary from fish to fish, and most are saltwater fish. Most of the varieties of flower glue are from the totoaba family, and the most valuable is also the totoaba fish glue, such as money eel glue, house glue, spider glue, white flower glue, red mouth glue, earth quail glue, Beihai glue, Annan gum, golden dragon glue, Vietnamese spider glue and so on. Among them, red mouth gum is the most complex of many flower glue varieties. Non-totoaba fish glue refers to all fish glue that is not of the totoaba family, including freshwater fish and saltwater fish, such as yellow flower glue, Tawau glue, cod glue, catfish glue, snapper glue, grouper glue, bowback maw, catfish belly and so on.
Ranking of origins of flower gum:
1. East China Sea: that is, the coastal areas of Zhejiang, Fujian and Guangdong;
2. South China Sea, Southeast Asian coast: namely Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, etc.;
3, the Indian Ocean: that is, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Mengla, etc.;
4, the Atlantic Ocean: that is, Brazil and other South American countries;
5, Africa and Oceania: that is, New Zealand, etc.
There are many flower glue production areas, but the flower glue off the coast of Guangdong is the highest price, especially in the Money Belly in the Humen Sea, because this water belongs to the brackish and fresh water junction, and the natural mineral content is high, so the quality of the flower glue produced is particularly good.
The fish to which the gum belongs is compared to the name
1, gold line belly is money eel glue, money eel, that is, yellow lip fish, belongs to the crayfish;
2, white flower glue is the fish glue of white flower fish;
3. Red-billed belly is also a crayfish, which is divided into the following species according to the place of origin, style and different fish species: Zhanjiang Red Zui, Taishan Red Zui, Yangjiang Red Zui, Jinlan Red Zui, Burmese Red Zui, Red Chicken Red Zui, Surabaya Red Zui, Big Ear Red Zui, Thick Belly Red Zui, Stone Belly and Soil Fern, etc.;
Zhanjiang Chizui, Taishan Chizui
Red chicken with red mouth and big ears and red mouth
4. Annan gum is Vietnamese fish maw, which is also a crayfish;
5. North Sea gum, that is, Brazilian cod fish glue;
6, New Zealand glue is New Zealand cod fish glue;
7, yellow flower glue is the fish glue of sea bass, also known as flower glue boy;
8, the belly is eel belly, eel belly;
9, duck bubble belly is the freshwater perch fish maw.
Identification of the quality of flower glue
Many neighbors have questions, the varieties and specifications of flower glue are so many, is it the more expensive the better? How to choose the right one for you?
Deng Zhijun said that the specific effect of different varieties of flower glue is also slightly different, not the more expensive the better, to suit their own is the best.
The market often hears the term "wide belly", which often refers specifically to the larger fish belly. Wide belly has male and female, male "broad belly male" shaped like a saddle, the middle of the belly is thicker, and the two sides are thinner, the body is V-striped, to the texture of firm, thick, dry, golden yellow is better, translucent for the top product, after cooking firm teeth. The female "broad-bellied" is slightly rounded and flattened, shaped like a wave plate, with a horizontal or wavy body, thinner texture, texture and taste are slightly inferior. It is generally considered that the male belly is better than the female belly.
In addition, the specifications of the same species of fish glue are generally distinguished by weight, dryness, etc., mainly by weight. Folk have the saying of "ten pounds of fish and one or two glue", the greater the weight, the higher the price.
To choose a good flower glue, you can start with these characteristics:
- The shape of the plate is large, thick into a tight, uniform, the color is pale yellow, clean, shiny, translucent, no blood tendons and no sticks, the older the more precious;
- See if the flower glue form is complete, whether the ripples are clear, the dryness is pure, there is no grease, no impurities, the color is white or yellowish, and there is no blackening or flower heart;
- High-quality flower glue stew does not fishy, smooth and refreshing.
The soaking and preservation of flower glue
There are three main methods of soaking flower glue: water hair, oil hair and evaporation. Generally, the operation of water hair is simple and the most widely used.
Method of water hair: for smaller body size, general thickness of flower glue, can be soaked in water for about 4 hours, when the flower glue soft body can be cut into small pieces; for larger, thick flower glue, can be soaked in water overnight, wait for the flower glue soft body can be cut into small pieces. Note that when the flower glue is soaked in hair, do not come into contact with the water of boiling shrimp and crabs, so as not to be contaminated with odors.
The soaked flower gelatin can be boiled in boiling water with ginger slices for about 15 minutes to remove the fishy smell and simmer. The flower glue that has been soaked should not be stored for a long time and should be consumed as soon as possible. The amount per person is about 20-30 grams per time, and children and the elderly are discretionary.
The longer the flower gum is stored, the better. Storing flower glue is most afraid of moisture and insects, you can put flower glue in plastic boxes, ceramics and other containers for preservation, the bottom of the moisture absorber, sealed place. It can also be stored in a rice cylinder or sealed in a plastic bag in a dry and ventilated place. In the dry season of each year, the flower glue can be taken out to dry properly, but it should not be exposed to the sun, and the flower glue that has been exposed to the sun will curl and crack.
How do children eat flower glue?
Children over the age of three can eat flower gum, which can enhance resistance, but it should be noted that the amount and frequency should not be too much to prevent food accumulation. And make it lighter, skim off the oil of the soup and drink only the clear soup.
How to eat flower glue for pregnancy and confinement?
Eating flower gum at 3-7 months of pregnancy can effectively supplement the mother's nutrition, and it also has a good effect on the skin and resistance of young children. Confinement mothers need to drain lochia before consuming flower gum.
When to eat flower gum?
It is best to eat in the evening or morning, and eating on an empty stomach is the best and easier to absorb. Try to avoid eating too late in the evening.
Flower gum diet treatment
# 1. Flower gum red date soup
Directions: 15 grams of flower gum, 4-5 red dates (pitted), add water to an appropriate amount, simmer for about 2-3 hours, add rock sugar and simmer until melted.
Efficacy: Suitable for replenishing qi and blood, nourishing the face; for those who lack qi and blood, lose their nourishment, see fatigue, skin is not lustrous, and facial wrinkles are especially good.
# 2. Flower gum bone broth
Directions: 15 grams of flower gum, add half a catty to a pound of pork bones or chicken bones, add an appropriate amount of water, simmer for 2-3 hours and then add salt to taste.
Efficacy: Suitable for strengthening the spleen and nourishing blood, tonifying the kidneys and improving the immunity.
# 3. Flower gum pig's trotter soup
Directions: 20 g of flower glue, 1 pig's trotter, papaya, ginger to taste. Wash them all and put them in a saucepan, add the right amount of water, simmer for 3-4 hours, season and serve.
Effect: Can moisturize the face, make up for the confinement, milk.
# 4. Flower gum lotus seed goji berry soup
Directions: 20 grams of flower gum, 15 grams of lotus seeds, 10 grams of goji berries, wash all the ingredients, add an appropriate amount of water, stew for 3.5 hours, season and eat.
Efficacy: Suitable for people with stomach cold, chronic bronchitis, cough, and body cold. ■
【Source: Affiliated Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Author: Deng Zhijun Deputy Director of Traditional Chinese Medicine】