The best recipe by Yulia Bogdanova, the author of the Spinach and Buckwheat blog, is dedicated to the balance of sodium and potassium in our body. Sodium is a major component of salt that has come under heavy criticism in recent decades. The fact is that excessive sodium intake leads to hypertension and increases the risk of other diseases. You can read more about this in my article at this link. At the same time, the “safe” dosages of salt intake vary greatly from one specialist to another.
However, many scientists have recently agreed that the key factor in the effect of sodium on health is not just the doses consumed, but the RATIO of sodium and its “partner” in the implementation of many vital metabolic functions – potassium, which together play a key role in the conduction of nervous impulses, maintenance of acid-base balance, implementation of water-salt metabolism. That is, potassium in the diet should be at least 2 times more than sodium, based on official recommendations, and according to some experts, even 5 times.
In absolute terms, many modern experts suggest starting from a historically safe sodium intake rate of 1.5 to 3 teaspoons per day in the equivalent of unrefined salt (when calculating, you need to pay special attention to packaged, industrially processed foods that contain a lot of salt).
Accordingly, the main recommendation for maintaining an optimal ratio of sodium and potassium is to eat unrefined, whole foods: vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals rich in potassium, and also use unrefined sea salt. This salt does not bleach, it retains the minerals naturally found in the marine environment, it contains less sodium per gram than table salt, and also has a more complex, softer and more pleasant taste.
Green leafy plants (in particular, spinach, broccoli) and mushrooms are especially high in potassium, which form the basis of the soup, which I suggest you try. Unrefined sea salt enhances the rich, spicy flavor of the broth and enriches it with the minerals it contains.
Buckwheat noodles with broccoli and herbs in a spicy broth
5-6 servings
Ingredients:
Broth
1 kilogram of onions, peeled and chopped into thick rings,
6-8 dried shiitake mushrooms or whatever you can find (dried shiitake mushrooms are sold in many supermarkets in the Asian food section),
6-8 centimeters of ginger root,
1-2 hot peppers, cut lengthwise (to taste),
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
3 boxes of green cardamom,
3 star anise stars,
5 carnation buds,
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 tablespoon of unprocessed sea salt (or to taste)
about 1,5 liters of water.
Noodles and vegetables
1 pack of buckwheat noodles (250 grams, I prefer the Sen Soi brand),
inflorescences of about half of the broccoli head,
2 generous handfuls of spinach and / or watercress
a handful of cilantro leaves,
a handful of mint leaves,
5-6 stalks of green onions,
1/4 cup black or white sesame seeds
1-2 lemons, cut into quarters.
Preparation
In a thick-walled saucepan, collect all the ingredients for the broth and cover with water about 3 centimeters. Bring the broth to a boil and simmer over low heat for 1–1,5 hours – until the mushrooms become soft. Taste for salt and spiciness and add salt or pepper if necessary.
Cook buckwheat noodles al dente.
Strain the broth when ready. Chop the mushrooms from the broth.
In a deep bowl, collect the noodles, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms and pour over the boiling broth. Top with chopped cilantro, mint and green onions, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Squeeze lemon juice into the broth to taste.
* Spinach and broccoli can also be pre-cooked in steam or in broth over low heat – 2-3 minutes of broccoli and 1 minute of spinach.