In the pen of Su Shi, a writer of the Song Dynasty, the spring river is warm, the peach blossoms are in full bloom, and the artemisia and reed buds have become another scenery in addition to the delicious taste of the puffer fish. Time has passed, and although we are now in the fishing ban period, we cannot taste the fatty pufferfish, but the charm of wild vegetables is still the same.
Today, let's walk into the world of these 16 wild vegetables, feel the gifts of nature, and learn how to turn them into delicacies on the table.
01. Takesho
Bamboo shoots are seedlings of bamboo that are favored by diners because of their crisp texture and rich in nutrients. Bamboo shoots have a wide variety of varieties and a long picking period, so they have become one of the frequent guests on people's tables.
Bamboo shoots can also be used to make sour bamboo shoots or dried bamboo shoots, which are good choices! In addition, bamboo shoots also have certain medicinal value, which can play a role in clearing heat and dissolving phlegm, invigorating qi and stomach, etc.! And among these many bamboo shoots, the most precious is spring bamboo shoots. Not only is it more tender, but it's also more nutritious!
02. Piercing Bud
The spiny sprout is a wild vegetable that grows on trees and belongs to the same family Eleutheropiaceae as ginseng. Therefore, it is also extremely rich in nutritional value, and is known as "tree ginseng". The tender shoots are extremely valuable because they are harvested for a very short period and in limited quantities.
Clean the prickly sprouts first, then blanch them to remove the bitter and astringent taste, and then fry or salad them to enjoy the unique fragrance and crisp taste.
03. Small sprigs of garlic
Small roots of garlic get their name from the fact that their rhizomes are small and shaped like garlic. It is also one of the most popular wild vegetables, not only for its fragrant taste, but also for its high nutritional value.
In addition, the small garlic also has a certain medicinal value, which can play a role in dispersing yang and conducting qi and stagnation!
04. Kasubaki Mei
Toon buds are the buds of the toon tree, which come every spring. The buds are bright red and are the best time to pick them when they reach about 10 cm. At this time, the toon buds are tender and fragrant.
Whether it's stir-fried, cold or scrambled eggs, people can be intoxicated by this unique aroma. However, toon buds are extremely seasonal, and if you miss them, you won't be able to taste them again until next spring.
05. Acid Cylinder Rod
The sour tube stem is the tender stem of knotweed, so named for its slightly sour taste. It is also one of the most popular wild vegetables in spring. When picking, you only need to break the sour cylinder rod with a light break, which is very convenient.
When cooking, you can blanch the sour tube and then mix it cold or fry it into dishes, and it can also be used to make kimchi or sauerkraut, which are excellent choices!
06. Wild Beans
Vetch gets its name from its stems and leaves that resemble peas, but it is not actually related to peas. With its dark green leaves and crisp texture, vetch is one of the most delicious wild vegetables in spring.
When cooking, simply stir-fry or cook the soup to taste the fresh bean aroma. In some regions, vetch is also a protected plant, so it's important to check local regulations before picking.
07. Elm money
Elm money is a fruit on the elm tree, so named because its shape resembles an ancient copper coin. It is also one of the most popular wild vegetables in spring. When spring comes, elm money is hung all over the treetops, and it is very convenient to pick.
Yuqian is steamed with flour to make wowotou or steamed buns, which can also be used to make stir-fried vegetables or soups, which are good choices!
08. 荠菜
Shepherd's cabbage is a common annual herb and one of the most popular wild vegetables in spring. Its leaves are deeply lobed, as if it were nature's jigsaw puzzle. Capsule's purse likes to grow in sparsely populated places such as crop fields, roadsides, and ridges.
When cooking, simply fry it or blanch it to enjoy its unique fragrance. If it is scrambled with eggs, it can enhance the overall taste and nutritional value.
09. Walnut spikes
Walnut spikes are the inflorescences of walnut trees that are popular among diners because of their unique shape and delicious taste. In the past, people were often reluctant to eat walnut spikes because the price of walnuts was very expensive. However, now, with the popularity of walnut planting, walnut spikes have also become one of the delicacies on people's tables.
Wrap walnut blossom ears in flour and eat them with sauce after steaming, and can also be used to make cold dishes or stir-fried dishes, which are good choices!
10. Menjona
Noodle dishes like to grow in crop fields, especially wheat fields. Its tall plants are numerous and branched, so there are relatively many young stems and leaves that can be picked. However, the most delicious noodle dishes are harvested before they have grown stems, when the leaves are thicker and have a better texture.
Since the noodle dish has a similar growing environment to wheat, it has become an authentic way to cook noodles. Of course, stir-frying, cold salad or boiling soup are also good choices.
11. Dandelion
Dandelion is a perennial herb that gets its name from the fact that its seeds have white hairs. Dandelion is not only a common ornamental plant, but also a delicious wild vegetable! Its leaves are jagged and slightly bitter, but it is this unique taste that makes you want to stop.
After blanching dandelions, cold dressing or boiling soup can also be used to make stir-fried vegetables or herbal teas, which are excellent choices!
12. Warabi
Bracken, a tenacious perennial herb. Every spring, it pulls out the tips of its tender green buds on time, curling like a fist in shape, dark green or purplish red in color. Although bracken has a certain bitter taste, it is this unique taste that makes people want to stop.
Bracken bracken is blanched for a few days before cooking, changing the water several times to remove the bitterness. After that, whether it is cold or fried, it can show its unique charm. Stir-fried with bacon can bring out the deliciousness of bracken to the extreme.
13. Structuring Spike
The flower spike of the tree is an invasive alien species, so named for its slender shape and hairy appearance. While it is a headache weed, it is a delicious wild vegetable.
When picking, the ears are cleaned and wrapped in flour, fried or steamed, and eaten with a fragrant and delicious taste. In addition, it also has a certain medicinal value, which can play a role in clearing heat and detoxifying, diuresis and swelling!
14. Artemisia sinensis
Artemisia sinensis, a highly seasonal wild vegetable. There is a folk saying that "Artemisia is burned in March and April and burned as firewood in May and June", which shows that the time for eating is short.
In February and March every year, the young stems and leaves of Artemisia sinensis are covered with a layer of white cotton hair, which is as pure as snowflakes in early spring.
At this time, it is picked and blanched or stir-fried. If it is fried with meat, it can enhance its taste and nutritional value.
15. Sichuan pepper sprouts
Zanthoxylum sprouts are the buds of the pepper tree, which grow in large quantities at the turn of spring and summer every year. Different from other wild vegetables, Sichuan pepper sprouts have a unique hemp flavor that makes people unforgettable.
Peppercorn sprouts can be coated in flour, fried or stir-fried into dishes, and can also be used to make barbecue or coleslaw, which are excellent choices. In addition, pepper sprouts also have certain medicinal value, which can play a role in repelling cold and relieving pain!
16. 蒌蒿
Artemisia, a perennial herb, has a fresh aroma. When spring comes, its young stems and leaves become the object of people's scrambling to pick.
In Jiangsu, Shanghai and other places, Artemisia is a sought-after commodity in the market. If you are lucky enough to own a field of artemisia, you can enjoy this delicious taste year after year with a simple propagation of plants or rhizomes.
When cooking, stir-frying is the best choice, especially when stir-fried with bacon, which can bring out the aroma of Artemisia and make people have an endless aftertaste.