요리정보

봄 기운이 주위를 솔솔 맴도는데도 찬 바람을 업은 꽃샘추위가 만만치 않게 봄을 시샘하고 있다．조금 매운 듯한 봄 추위에도 아랑곳하지 않고 얇은 반 팔 소매에 봄기운을 물씬 풍기는 옷을 입고 활보하는 젊은이들을 보면 역시 봄은 봄인 모양이다．그러나 이런 날씨에도 고민하는 사람들이 있다．날씨가 조금만 추워도 손발이 차가와지고 아랫배가 차서 옷을 얇게 입으면 배가 아프거나 설사를 하고 변비가 심해지거나 월경불순때문에 괴로운 사람들이다．이들은 조금만 찬 것을 먹어도 배가 아프고 설사를 하기 때문에 어느 음식을 먹어야 할지 보통 고민이 아니다．이럴 때 도움이 되는 약선요리가 있다．손발을 따뜻하게 해주고 아랫배의 기혈순환을 도와주는 쑥멸치국이다．쑥은 요즘 시장에 나가면 많이 나오는 나물 중의 하나다．향기가 진하면서 논둑과 밭둑, 양지 바른 시골길가에서 하얀 솜털을 뒤집어 쓰고 나지막히 자라는 어린 나물이다．쑥은 또한 옛날 보릿고개를 넘을 때 쑥밥이나 죽을 쑤어 주린 배를 채우던 애환이 어려있는 나물이다． 성질이 따뜻해 위장을 따뜻하게 하며 소화기능을 도와주는 작용을 갖고 있다．몸이 차서 생기는 여성들의 월경불순이나 자궁출혈, 수족냉증에도 좋다．멸치는 소화흡수가 잘되고 성질이 따뜻하면서 칼슘과 무기질이 풍부하게 들어있는 고단백 식품이다． 따라서 골다공증을 예방하거나 뼈를 튼튼하게 하며 노화를 방지하고 청소년들의 성장발육에 도움을 주는 알찬 식품이기도 하다．이렇듯 좋은 약효를 종합한 쑥멸치국은 소화흡수가 잘되면서 몸을 따뜻하게 해준다．또 고단백의 영양분을 공급해주고 뼈를 튼튼하게 만들어 주는 효과를 기대할 수 있다．다만 손발이 차더라도 가슴과 머리에 열이 많거나 얼굴과 뒷목으로 화기(火氣)가 많이 오르는 사람은 삼가야 한다． ▽ 만드는 법 ①미리 받아 놓은 쌀뜨물에 멸치를 통째로 넣는다．

②된장을 삼삼할 정도로 풀어서 멸치와 함께 팔팔 끓인다．식성에 맞게 고추장을 같이 푼다．

③깨끗이 씻은 쑥을 향긋함이 유지되도록 너무 오래 끓이지 않는 것이 중요하다． 

- 국민일보/김수범 우리한의원 원장 -