Spring is the season when plants start to grow freely from the ground. In China, wild spring greens are traditionally thought of as a healthy food. They are stillcommon in many dishes today.
Chinese Toon shoots 香椿芽 Toon shoots are usually the best just before gu-yu, the sixthof the 24 solar terms(节气). Guyu means that spring is almost to end. This is when the leaves are very tender(嫩的). It is often cooked with eggs to balance the sometimes strong tastes of theleaves. It can also be prepared with tofu. | |
Indian aster 马兰头 The meaning of Indian aster is to make a horse turn itshead. It is said that its tender-taste could make a horse stopmoving on. Perhaps because of the name, the green has becomea goodbye gift, cooked when one wants to wish a friend a safejourney, according to the website The World of Chinese. Thevegetable is usually boiled in water, cut and mixed with tofu andsesame oil. | |
Shepherd' s purse 荠菜 Shepherd' s purse is a green herb(草本植物 ) with an unusual smell. It grows early in spring and can be eaten bothcooked and uncooked. It tastes a little but bitter(苦的) and sweet and can be used in dumplings and wonton or cooked in soup. Intraditional Chinese medicine, it is used to improve eyesight, dealwith high blood pressure and stop bleeding. | |
Luhao 芦蒿 Taken as a symbol of spring, luhao was thought highly ofby a famous Chinese poet. He said: " When the land is green andluhao is everywhere, spring has truly arrived. " Before or during guyu, luhao is very tender and is usuallycooked with meat. It tastes light and can be simply cooked withginger, spring onion and a little chilli. | |
Tips for eatingwild vegetables | ※ Do not eat wild vegetables you don' t know. ※ Do not eat polluted wild vegetables. ※ Do not eat wild vegetables which have been kept for a long time. Eat them fresh after picking them. ※ Do not take wild vegetables as a main course. |