Introduction: During the Lesser Fullness of Grain, the grains of crops like wheat and others begin to fill but are not yet fully mature, marking a time of scarcity. Meanwhile, wild vegetables in the fields are growing vigorously. In the past, eating bitter vegetables was to stave off hunger. Now, during the Lesser Fullness of Grain, people eat them for a fresh taste and to cleanse the body of grease. Today, the editor will introduce nine types of bitter vegetables that can be eaten during this season.
For more spring wild vegetable recipes, we recommend the daily special: Spring Wild Vegetables Fragrance Tasting Spring's Charming Green: Wild Vegetables Edition
1. Bitter Melon
Bitter melon is an excellent summer food, rich in nutrients, mainly containing protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and other nutritional components. The unripe young fruit is used as a vegetable, and the ripe pulp can be eaten raw. It can be served cold, stir-fried with meat, braised with fish, and is known for its crisp texture and refreshing flavor.
Bitter melon is known to stimulate appetite, aid digestion, expel heat, relieve fatigue, clear the mind and brighten the eyes, and replenish qi and strengthen yang. Besides the bitter quinine, bitter melon also contains protein. Research has found that protein can stimulate immune cells and has anti-cancer effects.
Bitter Melon Tea
1. Slice the bitter melon into 1-2 mm thick pieces and dry-fry in a flat-bottomed pan until all the moisture is gone.
2. After drying, the bitter melon will turn brown. Let it cool, then pack it in an airtight jar and store it in the refrigerator, where it can be kept for up to 2 months.
3. Soak in hot water before drinking. Drink 3-4 cups daily.
Bitter Melon Juice:
1. Grate the bitter melon with a grater and squeeze out the juice using a tea strainer or cheesecloth in a cup.
2. Add half a cup of water, the amount can be adjusted to your preference.
3. If it's too bitter, you can add lemon juice or apple puree to adjust the flavor.
2. Sonchus oleracea (Sow Thistle)
Sonchus oleracea, also known as tu, caocao, kumaimai, and jumai, is the entire plant of the Sonchus oleracea from the Asteraceae family.
Sonchus oleracea mainly contains carbohydrates, B vitamins, vitamin C, and minerals.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Sonchus oleracea is considered bitter and cold in nature, and has the effects of clearing heat, cooling the blood, and detoxifying. Li Shizhen pointed out in his book "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Sonchus oleracea regulates the twelve meridians, calms the mind, replenishes qi, makes the body light, delays aging, strengthens the body, and brightens the eyes..."
Pickled Sonchus oleracea is a delicious summer dish served with rice, known for its refreshing taste, stimulating appetite, relieving summer heat, and clearing the mind and relieving irritability.
Cold-dressed Sonchus oleracea:
Seasonings: Garlic, salt, MSG, vinegar, sesame oil
Method:
1. Clean the Sonchus oleracea, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes;
2. Quickly remove and soak in cold water to cool, then drain;
3. Cut into sections and place in a bowl;
4. Mix minced garlic, salt, MSG, sesame oil, and vinegar in a small bowl, then pour over the Sonchus oleracea and mix well.
3. Dandelion
Dandelion, also known as po-po-ding, huang-hua-di-ding, etc., is the entire dandelion plant with roots from the Asteraceae family, distributed throughout the country. "Compendium of Materia Medica" says: "Dandelion is quite common south of the Yangtze River, and can also be found elsewhere, but is absent in Lingnan. It grows in small patches, spreading out. Its stems, leaves, and flowers are similar to those of Sonchus oleracea, but smaller. The young seedlings are edible."
Dandelion is a nutritious vegetable, mainly containing protein, fat, carotene, riboflavin, and nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, and iron.
In terms of consumption, the tender leaves are often eaten cold-dressed in summer and can also be cooked.
Dandelion is harmless to eat in large quantities and can also be used as medicine. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dandelion is considered sweet, bitter, and cold in nature, and affects the liver and stomach meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, stopping diarrhea, promoting bile flow, protecting the liver, strengthening the stomach, and lowering blood pressure.
Raw and Cold-dressed
Wash the fresh, tender stems and leaves of the dandelion, drain, and dip in sauce. It has a slight bitterness but is delicious, fresh, and refreshing. Alternatively, blanch the washed dandelion in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, drain, and rinse with cold water. Season with chili oil, salt, sesame oil, vinegar, minced garlic, etc., or mix it into various flavored dishes according to your own taste.
Minced Garlic Dandelion
Blanch the dandelion in boiling water, remove and wash in cold water, squeeze out the water, chop, and place in a plate. Sprinkle with minced garlic, sesame oil, fine salt, and MSG, and mix well.
Stir-fried or Steamed
The tender leaves or flower stalks of the dandelion can be washed and then stir-fried or boiled. They can be stir-fried plain or with meat, eggs, or seafood. Thicken with starch for an even better flavor.
Dandelion Stir-fried with Shredded Pork
Wash and clean the fresh dandelion leaves or flower stalks, drain, and cut into sections. Wash the pork and shred it. Heat the wok, stir-fry the shredded pork until done, add the thickening starch and stir-fry until the pork is cooked. Add the fresh dandelion leaves or flower stalks and stir-fry until well-seasoned, then plate and serve.
Boiled in Soup or Congee
To reduce the bitterness of dandelion, wash it and boil in boiling water or salt water for 5-8 minutes. Soak it in water for several hours to leach out the bitterness, rinse clean, then use it to make soup or congee.
4. Bitter Bamboo Shoots
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, bitter bamboo shoots are considered sweet in taste and cool but not cold in nature, with the effects of relieving summer heat, detoxifying, aiding weight loss and fitness, strengthening the stomach, and promoting digestion.
Bitter bamboo shoots are a delicious dish on the summer dining table. People often use bitter bamboo shoots with pork ribs and pickled vegetables to make a bitter bamboo shoot pot, which is deliciously sweet and bitter, leaving a memorable aftertaste.
Pork Belly Stir-fried with Bitter Bamboo Shoots:
You can stir-fry with green peppers or red chilies. To maintain the original flavor of the bitter bamboo shoots, do not heat them for too long during initial processing; also, do not cook them until soft, as this will destroy the flavor. If you still cannot get used to the bitterness, you can eat the pork belly and bamboo shoot slices together, which creates a unique texture and seems to dilute the bitterness.
Cold-dressed Bitter Bamboo Shoots:
Slice the fresh, tender bitter bamboo shoots thinly, add a little salt, MSG, and sesame oil. It is incomparably fragrant, bitter yet sweet, leaving a lasting impression.
Grilled Bitter Bamboo Shoots:
Select tender shoots under 2cm, keep them in their shells and place them in red-hot grass charcoal ash, covering them with ash for roasting (being careful not to burn the shells). Once the shoots are soft, remove the shells, shred them, and place on a plate to mix with seasonings, such as salt, chili oil, and sesame oil.
5. Turnip
Turnip, also known as da-tou-cai (big-headed vegetable), is native to China and is one of the oldest vegetables, cultivated all over the country.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, turnip is considered neutral in nature, with a bitter, spicy, and sweet taste, and affects the stomach, liver, and kidney meridians. It has the effects of stimulating appetite, promoting qi circulation, removing dampness, and detoxifying.
It is suitable for treating indigestion, diabetes, and heat-toxin-induced swelling. Turnip has a good flavor, can be used as a substitute for grain, or cooked as a vegetable, or pickled and processed.
Cold-dressed Big-headed Turnip
Ingredients: 1 big-headed turnip, 5 cloves of garlic, 1 chili, a little coriander.
Seasonings: 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp white vinegar.
Method:
1. Peel the turnip and cut into thick slices. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt and let sit until softened. Rinse off the salt, then squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
2. Crush and mince the garlic, mince the chili, and cut the coriander into sections.
3. Mix the turnip slices, minced garlic, and minced chili with the seasonings and coriander sections. Serve immediately.
6. Lettuce Stem
Lettuce stem is also known as qian-jin-cai (thousand-gold vegetable) or wo-cai.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, lettuce stem is considered cool in nature, with a bitter and sweet taste, and affects the large intestine and stomach meridians. It has the effects of promoting urination, opening the chest and diaphragm, regulating qi and the middle jiao, and clearing heat and quenching thirst.
It is suitable for treating urinary difficulty, stomach qi stagnation, poor appetite, and excessive thirst and drinking.
Lettuce stem can be stir-fried or cold-dressed. For stir-frying, use high heat and cook quickly. For cold-dressing, marinate with a little salt first, squeeze out the juice, then eat.
Cold-dressed Lettuce Stem:
Ingredients: Fresh lettuce stem, scallion, sesame oil, MSG, salt, sugar.
Method: Wash and peel the lettuce stem, cut into long strips, and place in a bowl. Add salt and mix well. Marinate for 1 hour, then drain the water. Add MSG and sugar and mix well. Chop the scallion into small pieces and sprinkle on top. Heat the sesame oil until hot, pour over the scallions, and mix well.
Sweet and Sour Lettuce Stem
Ingredients: Tender lettuce stem, tomato.
Seasonings: 25g minced green garlic, lemon juice (or fresh orange juice), sugar, water, a little salt.
Method: 1. Remove the leaves, peel, and root of the lettuce stem, wash, and cut into cubes. Blanch in boiling water. Wash the tomato, peel, and cut into cubes. 2. Mix lemon juice, sugar, water, and salt in a large porcelain bowl to taste. Add the lettuce stem cubes, tomato pieces, and minced green garlic, mix well, and store in the refrigerator to serve anytime.
7. Cactus
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, cactus is considered bitter and cold in nature, mainly affecting the heart, lung, and stomach meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting qi circulation and blood circulation, resolving phlegm, and calming the mind.
Studies have shown that cactus can prevent arteriosclerosis and can also treat diabetes, obesity, lung cancer, and other diseases.
Instructions for preparing cactus:
1. Before processing, peel and remove the thorns, and soak in light salt water for 15-20 minutes, or blanch in boiling water and rinse with water to remove the bitterness.
2. Wild and ornamental cacti contain certain amounts of toxins and anesthetics and should not be eaten indiscriminately.
3. Cactus should not be cooked in iron utensils.
Cactus and Celery Salad
250g cactus, 250g celery, 5g salt, 5g MSG, 5ml olive oil.
Shred the peeled cactus, wash and cut the celery into sections. Blanch both in boiling water, remove and drain. Mix with salt and MSG, then drizzle with olive oil.
This recipe has the effects of clearing heat, calming the liver, promoting urination, cooling the blood, and dispelling stasis. It is suitable for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and other conditions.
8. Wild Garlic
Wild garlic, also known as da-tou-cai-zi or xiao-du-suan, has the effects of regulating qi and expanding the chest, and dispersing yang to resolve stagnation. It is used to treat chest obstruction, heart pain, and dry retching.
Wild Garlic Stir-fried with Eggs
1. Clean and chop the wild garlic, mix with beaten eggs and salt.
2. Heat oil in a pan, pour in the egg mixture, and stir-fry until cooked.
Wild Garlic Pickles
Clean the wild garlic and marinate with salt for 1 hour. Mix with Korean chili paste, add a little white vinegar, sugar, and MSG to make pickles, then store in the refrigerator.
9. Wolfberry Sprouts
Wolfberry sprouts are also known as tian-cai or gou-ji-jian.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the entire wolfberry sprout plant is considered cool in nature and sweet and bitter in taste. It has the effects of clearing heat and irritability, nourishing yin, and brightening the eyes.
It is suitable for treating yin deficiency with fever, thirst and dry mouth, feverish palms and soles, liver and kidney deficiency, dry eyes, and false-fire toothache.
Method for Cold-dressed Wolfberry Sprouts:
1. Clean the wolfberry sprouts and blanch in salted boiling water for a moment, then remove and rinse repeatedly in cold water;
2. Remove and rinse again with cold water, drain the water, and place in a bowl;
3. Sprinkle with a little salt, mix well, and drizzle with sesame oil.
Tips:
1. Wolfberry sprouts have a slight bitterness. Blanching them in salted water and then rinsing can remove some of the bitterness.
2. Only the youngest, most tender tips of the wolfberry sprouts should be picked. The stems can be tough and not pleasant to eat.