Fiddlehead ferns

Fiddlehead ferns

　　In the dense forests of the Jingpo Lake mountain area, there grow precious trees such as Korean pine and amur cork tree. On the edges of the forest as well as on barren slopes and wild fields, there are also over a hundred kinds of wild vegetables, among which wild mountain fiddlehead ferns are a premium variety.

Fiddlehead ferns are a type of herbaceous plant, commonly known as "dragon head vegetable," also hailed as the "auspicious vegetable," and locally referred to as "cat’s paw" vegetable. The tender shoots of the fiddlehead fern are the edible part. They are small, pointed, and curled inward, resembling the shape of a cat’s paw, in a bluish-green color, and they unfurl as they mature. The leaf stalk is yellowish-brown and can be one to two feet long; the rhizome grows horizontally underground, covered with a layer of dark brown fuzz on the outside and containing a large amount of high-quality starch, which can be processed into fern starch.

Fiddlehead ferns are rich in nutrients. In addition to containing starch, fat, and protein, they also provide vitamins A and C, as well as phosphorus and calcium. Each 100 grams contains 1.68 mg of carotene and 35 mg of vitamin C. Their tender stems and leaves are a uniquely flavorful wild vegetable delicacy, suitable for stir-frying, making soup, blanching and mixing, or pickling—offering a light and delicious taste. They can be briefly blanched in hot water for fresh consumption, or dried for later use or pickled for long-term preservation.

According to historical records: "When fiddlehead ferns first emerge, they are curled like a child’s fist; as they grow, they unfold like a pheasant’s tail, reaching a height of three to four feet. When young, the stem has no leaves. When harvested and blanched in hot water to remove its sliminess, then dried, it makes a delicious vegetable, smooth and tasty, especially good when cooked with meat. It is also nice when mixed with ginger and vinegar." Since the Tang Dynasty, people have enjoyed eating fiddlehead ferns, and it has now been a dietary staple for over two thousand years. Ancient poets praised it, saying: "The mountain child freshly picks plump fiddlehead sprouts" and "Stone-warmed fiddlehead sprouts in purple"... During the Qing Dynasty, fiddlehead ferns were also listed as tribute items, with those that were "stem-colored blue-purple and plump" selected each year, dried, and presented to the imperial court.

Fiddlehead ferns also have certain medicinal value. They contain chemical components such as sorbose, astragalin, pterosin, pteroside, succinic acid, and alkaloids, and can be used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, dysentery, and coughing up blood. When applied externally, they can also help with treating eczema and insect or snake bites.

The fiddlehead ferns in the Jingpo Mountain area are widely distributed, have high yields, are unaffected by pesticides or chemical fertilizers, and are of excellent quality. Their stems and leaves are tender, thick, and succulent, with a delicious flavor.