With its smooth texture and fresh taste, fox nut seeds top the Eight Aquatic Plants in Suzhou. It is reported that this year's fox nut flowers are half opening, and the seeds are expected to hit the market in early August.
The seed of fox nut looks just like a chicken’s head, which is why it is called “鸡头米” (Ji Tou Mi, Chicken's Head Rice) in Chinese. It is tasteful but hard to grow. The temperature must be kept at around 20℃ when growing its seedlings in March and April. After the plant is moved to the big field in May and June, growers need to rid the area of waterweeds by hand before the seeds finally ripen in August and September.
The growth of fox nut requires high water quality and special environmental conditions. Besides, pesticides are hardly used throughout. That’s why fox nut seeds are not cheap: they cost RMB100 to 120 yuan per 500 grams.
Fox nut seeds grown in Xushuguan normally appear on the market in large amounts in early August and will be available till early October.
Dishes with Fox Nut Seeds
Fox nut seeds in syrup. Gif@gusuwb
Brown sugar syrup with fox nut seeds. Pic@CITYSUZHOU
Fox nut seeds fried with celery and lily. Pic@CITYSUZHOU
