My childhood was spent in the vast countryside of the countryside. When spring comes quietly, the earth is dressed in new clothes, and everything begins to recover. And in that vibrant land, what I miss most is the wild vegetables that accompanied me when I grew up. They may be slim on the hillsides, hidden in the jungle, or lying quietly in the fields, waiting to be discovered and tasted.
With a small bamboo basket on my back and a sharpened sickle in my hand, my friends and I embarked on a treasure hunt. Those wild vegetables are not only a gift from nature, but also a childhood memory that cannot be erased in my heart. Looking back now, those flavors still linger on the tip of the tongue, and that carefree time has become a past that can never be returned.
01: Dandelion
Dandelions are a common weed in the countryside. They grow all over the mountains and can be seen even in the vegetable garden. Although dandelion has a slightly bitter taste, it has a high nutritional value.
The older generation often used it to stir-fry vegetables or eat it cold, and it is said to have the effect of defeating fire. When I was a kid, I didn't really like the bitter taste of dandelions, but in retrospect, that taste has become an integral part of my childhood memories.
02: Toon leaf
Toon leaves, which are the buds of the toon tree, are also a delicacy on the spring table. In almost every corner of the countryside, you can find the toon tree. Whenever the spring breeze blows, those tender green toon leaves sway with the wind, exuding a unique aroma. That fragrance is the breath of spring, the breath of life.
Use it to scramble eggs, toast tofu or pickle vegetables, and it's delicious no matter how you cook it. And in the hustle and bustle of the city, it has become more and more difficult to find the shadow of a toon leaf.
03: Kotake Sho
Small bamboo shoots are a unique sight in spring. In the season of recovery, those small bamboo shoots break through the soil and show vitality. They generally grow in bamboo forests in the wilderness of barren mountains and need to be searched for carefully. Every time I find a small bamboo shoot, I feel a sense of joy and accomplishment.
You can stir-fry meat or stew bacon with fresh bamboo shoots, and the delicious and sweet flavor will be endless. I will never forget the good times with small bamboo shoots in my childhood.
04: Warbur
Bracken root, which is the root of bracken, but has a very different flavor from bracken. In particular, the fern root powder extracted from fern root is deeply loved by people. In that hungry era, fern roots, like kudzu, became people's life.
I remember when I was a child, I went to the mountains with my father to dig fern roots, and although the process was hard, every time I saw that basket of fern roots, my heart was full of satisfaction and joy. You can use it to make hot and sour fern root powder or stir-fried bacon with fern root powder, and the taste is simply delicious.
05: Ground vegetables
Ground vegetables are a very special kind of wild vegetables. It grows on the ground and looks like patches of black fungus. The taste of the ground vegetables is delicious and delicious, but it is very troublesome to clean. Because it grows close to the ground, it is easily contaminated with sediment and impurities.
But even so, when I was a child, I was very willing to pick up those vegetables. Whenever the rain is over, my friends and I carry baskets to the mountains to look for traces of local vegetables. The joy of finding good food in nature cannot be expressed in words.
06: 荠荠菜
The name makes people happy. It has many aliases in various places, but no matter what it is called, it cannot change its place in the heart. Capsule, a touch of green in spring, has a sweet and savory taste, making it an excellent choice for dumplings or soups.
When I think back to my mother's delicacies made with shepherd's cabbage, my heart is filled with warmth and gratitude. It is the taste of home, the taste of mother's love, and the taste that can never be forgotten.
07: Ear root
Ear root, also known as Houttuynia cordata, is a wild vegetable with a special smell. Its rhizomes are edible and have a delicious and unique taste. When I was a child, I didn't really like the strong smell of ear splitting, but my mother always used it to make delicious dishes that made me fall in love with it.
Looking back now, that smell is etched in my memory. It is not only a taste of food, but also a taste of mother's love and a taste of home.
08: Fir fungus
Fir fungus, this is a special gift from nature. It grows in the arms of fir trees and absorbs the essence of heaven and earth. April and September are the seasons when fir fungus meets. Its taste is delicate and delicious, making it unforgettable.
The old people often say: "One fir mushroom makes nine bowls of soup", which is enough to witness its deliciousness. In my childhood memories, fir mushrooms are not only a delicacy, but also a yearning and pursuit of a better life.
09: Small sprig garlic
Small garlic is a wild vegetable that grows in the mountains, and its appearance is similar to that of garlic grown at home, but the taste has its own unique charm. There are many ways to eat garlic, which can be eaten as pickles or scrambled eggs. The salty and savory flavor is a memorable aftertaste.
When I was a child, I always liked to go to the fields in the spring to pick those little garlic roots, and the smell of the earth made me feel extremely satisfied and happy. Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer small garlic roots in the countryside, but that beautiful memory has always remained in my heart.
10: Turnip
Bracken, it exists in memory with a unique attitude. The slightly astringent taste is the first impression of bracken. But as long as you choose the right time, pick the freshest bracken sprouts, put them in boiling water and blanch them gently, the astringency will dissipate invisibly.
The rest is only the natural deliciousness and sweetness. In that era of material scarcity, bracken was like a bright color in life, full of expectations for the future.