Hongze water chestnut [Jiangsu Hongze specialty]

What is Hongze water chestnut? Authentic Jiangsu Hongze specialty: Hongze water chestnut

Content summary:Do you want to know what Hongze water chestnut is? This article is a specialized article that provides a detailed introduction to the local specialty of Hongze, Jiangsu Province - Hongze Gorgeous Fruit. It was compiled and edited by the editorial team of China Specialty Network, who reviewed and collected relevant information on Hongze Gorgeous Fruit. The entire article takes about 5 minutes to read, mainly including the basic introduction of Hongze Gorgeous Fruit and its nutritional value? What are the product characteristics of Hongze water chestnut? How did the history of Hongze water chestnut come about? The production method of Hongze water chestnut, etc

Basic introduction of Hongze water chestnut

Water chestnut is an aquatic economic plant, with edible petioles, flower stems, and seeds. It is not only nutritious, but also has good medical and health benefits. Hongze County has become the production and sales center of water chestnut in the province, radiating and driving the development of water chestnut industry in the surrounding areas of Hongze Lake. Xuyi, Jinhu, Baoying and other areas in Hongze Lake have experienced great development of water chestnut, with a planting area of over 50000 acres in Hongze Lake

What is the nutritional value of Hongze water chestnut

Euryale contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, crude fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins, and trace carotenoids. It has functions such as tonifying the spleen and stopping diarrhea, nourishing the kidneys and consolidating essence, dispelling dampness and stopping the use of bandages. Used for nocturnal emission, nocturnal enuresis, frequent urination, spleen deficiency, prolonged diarrhea, white turbidity, and vaginal discharge

The water chestnut is spherical in shape, and some are broken into small pieces. Complete diameter of 5-8 millimeters; There is a brownish red inner seed coat on the surface, with one end being yellow white, accounting for about 1/3 of the total. There are concave navel scars, which appear white except for the inner seed coat. Hard texture, white cross-section, powdery. Odorless and mild in taste

How did the history of Hongze water chestnut come about

It is recorded in the "Records of the Grand Historian" of the Western Han Dynasty that China used water chestnuts. The Shennong Bencao Jing is classified as a top grade and is also known as Jitou. During the Liang Dynasty, Tao Hongjing said, "The flowers on the stem resemble cockscomb, hence the name chicken head." Li Shizhen said, "The stem of the water chestnut grows in March, with leaves that are as big as lotus leaves, wrinkles like, and wrinkles like boiling. The surface is blue and the back is purple, and both the stem and leaves have thorns... In May and June, purple flowers grow, blooming in the sun and forming bracts, with green thorns on the outside, resembling hedgehogs and chestnut balls. The flowers are at the top of the bracts, also like chicken beaks and hedgehogs beaks. When peeled off, they have mottled soft flesh wrapped around them, piled up like pearls. The white rice inside the shell looks like fish. In late autumn, the farmers harvest extensively, rot the water chestnut seeds, and hide them in stones to prepare for famine. Its root shape is like three edges, and when cooked, it resembles taro." The characteristics and uses described in the previous generations of this herb are consistent with the current use of water chestnuts

Method of making Hongze water chestnut

1. Harvesting water chestnut: The harvesting season is between white dew and frost drop, and the seed coat appears reddish brown during harvesting. Harvesting multiple times in the south, that is, harvesting as it ripens; Harvested once in both Sichuan and northern regions. When harvesting, take a small boat or a large wooden basin into the pond or pool, use a sickle to cut mature fruits, or scoop up seeds that have already cracked and floated on the water surface (which will sink to the bottom after a long time). Harvested multiple times, the seeds mature, but it is labor-intensive and only suitable for reservoirs and lakes; Harvested once, the seeds are partially immature, with uneven particle size and tender seeds that are easily crushed during processing, resulting in a lower rice yield. It should be tailored to different local conditions. When harvesting, a portion of the fruit should be left to fall off on its own and expand natural reproduction

2. The processed and harvested fruits can be piled up and soaked until the flesh and false seed coat are soft. Then, they can be washed clean in clean water, and the seeds can be taken out and dried. The hard shell can be removed by a machine, and the seeds can be taken out. Alternatively, the dried seeds can be soaked in boiling water until the outer seed coat becomes soft, and then quickly cut and the seeds can be taken out and dried. The former method has fast processing and is suitable for large-scale processing, but the resulting kernels are more crushed, resulting in a lower kernel yield and a lower product specification grade. The latter method is slower to process, time-consuming and labor-intensive, but the seed kernels are less broken, and the product specifications are higher, making it suitable for small-scale processing