A Taste of Spring: Mouthwatering Flower Delicacies

By Yuling Chen, EDITOR

It is the time again to enjoy the edible flowers: pink peach flowers, white sophora flowers, golden rape flowers... all of which can be served at the dining table to delight your taste buds and eyes in the early spring.

The history of taking edible flowers as food materials is over 2,000 years.

The so-called flower delicacies are the dishes and desserts made by the flowers from the four seasons. Then, what kinds of flowers and delicacies are there on the dining tables of Chongqing people?

What flowers are edible

We have various edible flowers around a year, for example:

In spring: White champaca, rose, Chinese rose, dendrobium, bignoniad, pear flower, Chinese poplar blossom, Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco, honeysuckle, Chinese violet, sophora flower, etc.

In summer: Lily, mentha flower, white lotus, jasmine, Aglaia odorata, Citrus aurantium, tuberose, day lily, etc.

In autumn: chrysanthemums, cushaw flower, Hibiscus syriacus, sweet-scented osmanthus, etc.

In winter: Wintersweet flower, Chinese cymbidium, plum blossom, family-planted Crataegus, etc.

By contrast, oleander, corn poppy, narcissus, catharanthus roseus, Camellia japonica, alocasia, Lycoris aurea, Gloriosa superba L., Allemanda cathartica L., and others alike are not edible.

What are the tips when picking these flowers

For food lovers, the appearances and flavors of these flowers are worthy of picking and cooking. They enjoy the pleasure to contact with nature closely well. However, when picking the edible flowers, you should ensure the safety of the ingredients.

Also, remember to pick fresh flowers. Freshness determines the tastes of the flowers and the appearances of the dishes. The time for food serving and material picking should be in proper connection.

Three steps to process the edible flowers

First, select fresh and pollution-free flowers.

These flowers should be pesticide-pollution-free, and if some have been polluted, you need to wash them thoroughly.

Try to select the flowers that are just in full blossom.

Second, soak the flowers before cooking. Take the whole flowers apart, remove the flower calyxes, tear off the petals one by one, and soak them in clean water for 2-3 hours.

Finally, choose an appropriate cooking method. For example, use the petals as a seasoning material in cakes and pastries, or choose edible flowers to decorate some dishes.

Cooking methods for seasonal dishes with flowers

Salted cherry blossom

There are many kinds of cherry blossoms, and most of the edible ones are Cerasus serrulata var. lannesiana. The multiple petals make them ideal for pickling. And the petals are very beautiful in water and tea.

Ingredients: Flower petals 100g, salt 50g, plum vinegar (rice vinegar) 35ml.

Steps: 

1. Pick the half-blossomed flowers, wash and dry them.

2. Prepare a container, sprinkle a layer of salt, then, a layer of flower petals, and repeat the step. At last, compact the cherry blossoms firmly with plastic wrap, and put something heavy on the plastic wrap.

3. Put this container at a shade place for 2 days, and pour the exuded water later.

4. Put the dewatered flower petals in containers, arranged in concentric circles, and pour the vinegar evenly. Then, compact the cherry blossoms firmly with plastic wrap, and put something heavy on the plastic wrap.

5. Put the processed material at a shade place for 3-7 days.

6. Find a clean table, lay the salted and drained cherry blossoms evenly, and let it dry for 2 days. This process should avoid direct sunlight.

7. Put the dried flower petals into another clean container, and shake it evenly with some salt. Then, the food material is well prepared.

Sophora flower meal

The sophora flowers also have a variety of ways of cooking. Eat it directly, with the meal, sugar soak, directly fry, and as the raw material in cakes and dumplings are all delicious.

Ingredients: White sophora flowers, medium-gluten flour, sugar, cooking oil, sesame, chopped green onion.

Steps: 1. Wash the white sophora flowers, dry them, sprinkle with flour and mix evenly.

2. Steam the processed flowers for 15 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in the pan, and stir-fry the chopped green onion and sesame seeds.

4. When smelling the chopped green onion’s flavor, pour the steamed sophora flowers, and stir-fry quickly again before serving it in the plate.

Braises rape flower buds with mushrooms

In spring, the rape flower buds, before in full blossom, are very delicious. It is a bit bitter, but many people like this unique flavor. The combination of rape flower buds and pleurotus eryngii will bring a good dish for spring.

Ingredients: Buds of rape flowers, pleurotus eryngii, salt, rock sugar, oyster sauce, chicken powder, green onion, ginger, water starch, shiitake mushrooms.

Steps:

1. Wash the rape flower buds clean, blanch them in boiled water, wash in flowing cool water, and put them in a basin.

2. After the oil in the pot gets hot, put in ginger and chopped green onion and fry. Then, pour a bowl of water, and boil it with salt, rock sugar, and oyster in a big fire.

3. Put in the washed pleurotus eryngii and shiitake mushrooms, boil it with big fire for 5 minutes and put chicken powder. At last, scoop up the prepared material.

4. Put the pleurotus eryngii on the rape flower buds with one shiitake mushroom as the decoration.

5. Pour the soup in the pot on the finished dish.

Peach blossom wine

Peach blossom is a natural moisturizer for skin. The Great Clarity, or Tai Qing Fang, writes, “Picking peach blossoms on March 3 and then soaking it with wine. It will cure many kinds of diseases and bring you good complexion.”

When the peach blossoms are in full blossom, pick the petals and dry them at shady places. Eating the prepared raw material with porridge will make you look good.

Source: CQCB