【Wild Vegetable Collection and Consumption in China】
Wild vegetables, as non-artificially planted plants that grow naturally and are spread by wind and animals, have a long history of being collected and consumed in China. They are a generous gift from nature to humans and a witness to the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature.
In the ancient Chinese poetry collection "Book of Songs - Zhou Nan - Guan Ju", it is described as "Uneven water chestnuts, flowing left and right." The poem depicts a picture of a young girl fishing for water chestnuts in a river.
In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the scholar and poet Mao Xiang recalled in his work "Ying Mei An Yi Yu" that Dong Xiaowan was good at pickling wild vegetables, "making the yellow ones look like wax and the green ones look like jade. Fresh flowers, wild vegetables, and chrysanthemums were all collected as food, filling the table with delicious flavors." This shows the agricultural and culinary skills and lively scenes of ancient people collecting and cooking wild vegetables.
Li Shizhen recorded in detail the collection and consumption of wild vegetables in his time in "Compendium of Materia Medica". For example, Dongfengcai is described as "suitable for making soup with fatty meat, with a fragrance similar to marjoram and a taste like cheese". Portulaca oleracea is described as "wildly growing everywhere... many people gather the seedlings to cook and dry them as vegetables". Houttuynia cordata is favored by people in the southern mountains and Jiangnan for raw consumption. Ferns are to be harvested when their stems are tender, boiled in ash soup to remove astringency, sun-dried, and used as vegetables. They have a sweet and smooth taste and can also be eaten with vinegar.
The above mentioned wild vegetables favored by ancient people are still popular choices among food lovers today.
【Consuming Wild Vegetables - Originally to Combat Famine】
The consumption of wild vegetables by people was originally to combat famine. The book "Rescue Compendium of Materia Medica" from the Ming Dynasty records 414 edible plants. The book "Wild Vegetable Recipes" from the Ming Dynasty lists 60 types of wild vegetables used during times of famine, each accompanied by a poem expressing the hardships. For example, the lotus seeds, commonly known as "chicken head rice," are the seeds of the lotus plant, a plant in the Nymphaeaceae family. They are a Chinese herbal medicine that nourishes the kidneys and spleen and have a high starch content, making them suitable for consumption. Li Shizhen wrote, "In late autumn, when food is scarce, farmers collect lotus seeds in large quantities, store them in a granary, and use them during times of shortage." He also said, "Lotus seeds can help in times of scarcity, so they are called lotus seeds."
【Consuming Wild Vegetables - Now a Fashionable Delight】
Today, for many places, the era of food shortage has long ended, and consuming wild vegetables has become a fashionable delight. These plants from the mountains and wilderness have not only entered the tables of ordinary people but have also transformed in the hands of many famous chefs, becoming exquisite delicacies and truly wild delicacies during meals.
Most wild vegetables grow far away from the hustle and bustle of cities, in mountains and forests, with pure quality and no pollution from modern industry and chemical fertilizers. They are rich in nutrients, fresh, and delicious. They not only contain essential nutrients for the human body such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals but also have a higher content of plant fiber. Some wild vegetables have several times or even dozens of times more vitamins and minerals than cultivated vegetables.
【Medicinal and Edible - Many Wild Vegetables are Medicinal Herbs】
Many wild vegetables are both medicinal and edible, originally being medicinal herbs with therapeutic or health benefits. For example, shepherd's purse clears the liver and brightens the eyes, and can treat diseases such as hepatitis and hypertension; dandelion clears heat and detoxifies, making it a good dish for diabetics; bitter vegetables have a bile-promoting effect and can be used to treat jaundice; amaranth can treat dysentery, enteritis, and bladder stones; bracken fern nourishes qi and nourishes yin, and can be used for conditions such as high fever with delirium, joint and bone pain, and difficulty urinating.
Therefore, if consumed properly and according to specific needs, most wild vegetables can be considered as effective remedies. When you are tired of high-fat foods, you can try different flavors by selectively consuming fresh wild vegetables, which not only enrich your dining table but also benefit your health.
【Precautions】
There are many benefits to consuming wild vegetables. However, everything should be done in moderation. Excessive consumption can become detrimental and even harmful. Therefore, before consuming wild vegetables, it is important to consider some precautions.
First,
The wild vegetables should be fresh. Wild vegetables that have been stored for a long time are not only not fresh, but also have lost their nutritional value and taste. The time interval between washing, cutting, and cooking should not be too long to avoid the loss of vitamins and minerals.
Second,
Not all plants in baskets are edible. Do not consume wild vegetables that you are not familiar with or that are easily misidentified to avoid poisoning. This is extremely important and must be taken seriously. When the Red Army passed through grasslands, they were extremely lacking in food and had to rely on gathering and digging wild vegetables to satisfy their hunger. In order to teach soldiers how to identify wild vegetables and prevent poisoning, the Red Army established a special committee for identifying wild vegetables.
Third,
Consuming wild vegetables should focus on tasting, as they may not satisfy all of the body's nutritional needs. It is important to pay attention to dietary diversity and balance, and avoid excessive consumption.
Fourth,
Do not consume contaminated wild vegetables. The air near industrial areas such as chemical plants in the outskirts is often poor, and the soil on the ground may be contaminated, making the wild vegetables grown there likely to absorb chemicals such as lead and mercury. Wild vegetables grown near sewage ponds often contain toxins and should not be consumed.
Fifth,
