What My Mom Always Makes Me When I’m Sick: Made With Mother’s Love
Submitted by Angelina Ng
As February comes to an end and winter starts to die down, so does my immune system. As a student that attends the University of Delaware but am from New York, my mother’s homemade meals aren’t always around for me. The thought of her homemade meals served hot and fresh from the stove never fails to make my mouth water. Getting sick isn’t the greatest feeling, but when I am in the comfort of my own home, it doesn’t hurt to have some delicious meals made by her. I’ll be showing some delicious meals she’d make for me when I’m sick!
1. Watercress Soup.
Watercress is a leafy green vegetable that is rich in vitamins and minerals like vitamin B, calcium, and potassium. To make this hearty soup, she adds water in a medium pot and brings it to a boil. She puts watercress and carrots to add nutritional value to seep into the soup. Next, she puts in pork bones and ginger to the broth to add flavor. My mother loves to use ginger in her meals since it contains antioxidants and properties that can soothe coughs and a sore throat, or eases headaches and symptoms of a cold. The pot is then boiled for two hours. After, the soup is extremely hot and ready to be served. She pours the watercress soup into the bowl and has it ready for me on the table. The watercress and carrots are soft and easily chewable so it makes it easier for me to eat. It’s delicious and nutritious, plus it always soothes my body and makes me feel better.
2. Congee.
This Chinese porridge is made from mainly rice and water. You can think of it as oatmeal, but congee is served salty and savory with a ginger and chicken flavor. This is one of my favorite meals that she makes in general, so I never mind having it when I’m sick! To make this simple and delicious porridge, she uses a fresh whole chicken and boils it in water with ginger. While it heats up, prepares and pours rice into the pot. Let it simmer until it becomes a porridge consistency. The consistency is a preference: I tend to like it thicker while my brother likes it more watery. When we are sick, my mother would simmer ours for different times in order to get the consistency we both want. Once it’s ready to be served, she shreds pieces of chicken for protein and healthy bones. She pours it into a bowl for me to enjoy.
3. Steamed Egg.
A watery and silky meal my mother makes when I have a cold or a sore throat, since it is warm and can easily be eaten, as it slides right down your throat. Eggs provide healthy and hearty nutrition for your body as well. She beats about six eggs into a glass bowl and adds canned chicken broth. Once it’s all incorporated, she places the bowl into a pot with boiling water surrounding the glass bowl. When it becomes firm and dense with a tinted yellow color, it’s ready to be served. Along with a bowl of rice, she gives me the steamed egg and I would mix it into the rice. It’s a great meal that is easy to make and eat!
4. Herbal Chicken Soup.
This meal has chicken, shiitake mushrooms, red dates, goji berries, red skin peanuts, and ginger. This is a chicken flavored broth that provides lots of flavor and nutrients from the other ingredients. Similar to the watercress soup, add the ingredients to the pot and let it simmer for about 3 hours. With the ingredients combined, it gives a powerful flavor which soothes the stomach. The dates and goji berries have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory values and are extremely healthy for your body. It is nutritious and would always seem to make my recovery quicker!
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