Stir-fried Fiddlehead Ferns

Stir-fried Fiddlehead Ferns

　　Fiddlehead ferns, commonly known as "monkey legs," grow in low-lying mountain wetlands and are best harvested in early spring. Stir-fried fiddlehead ferns are light, delicious, rich in aroma and color, entirely natural, and highly beneficial to health. They are a specialty snack of Yichun District and are especially popular with guests from Japan and Korea.

Fiddlehead ferns are also called "fist vegetables," "cat's paws," or "dragon head vegetables." They grow wild in forests, mountains, and pine woods, and are a pollution-free green vegetable. Not only are they rich in various vitamins needed by the human body, but they also help cleanse the intestines, strengthen the stomach, and relax tendons and collaterals. Before eating, fiddlehead ferns are blanched in boiling water and then soaked in cold water to remove any off-flavors, making them ready to eat. The processed ferns have a fragrant, smooth texture, and when mixed with seasonings, they become refreshingly delicious — a rare and premium dish to accompany drinks. They can also be stir-fried, dried, used as filling, or pickled into canned products.