What plant is the dragon beard vegetable in cold dishes

Dragon beard vegetable in cold dishes usually refers to the tender shoots of Gracilaria or Buddha's hand melon, which belong to edible algae or vegetables. Gracilaria is a plant of the family Gracilaria in the phylum Macroalgae, rich in gelatinous substances; The tender shoots of the Buddha's hand melon are the tender buds of the gourd family vines, with a crisp and tender taste. Both have unique flavors and nutritional value, and are commonly used in cold dishes or stir fried dishes.

1. Gracilaria

Gracilaria is a common economic algae along the coast, with a purple red or yellow green body and slender, whisker like branches. Its cell wall contains a large amount of agarose, which is the main raw material for making agar. Fresh Gracilaria is rich in dietary fiber, calcium, and trace elements. When cold mixed, it needs to be blanched to remove the fishy smell. It is often seasoned with garlic paste, vinegar, and other seasonings. In some regions, the term 'dragon beard vegetable' also refers to seaweed, but seaweed has been banned due to ecological damage caused by its collection.

Second, the tender tip of the Buddha's hand melon.

The tender tip of the Buddha's hand melon vine is the young stem tip of the land plant, named after its tendrils that resemble dragon whiskers. Containing vitamin C, potassium, and plant sterols, it has low calories and a crisp texture. Pick tender shoots with a length of about 15 centimeters, remove the old stems, and mix directly with sesame sauce or spicy oil. Fujian, Taiwan and other places often use it as a summer cooling vegetable, which can be mixed with fungus and shredded carrots to enhance the taste level.

When consuming dragon beard vegetables, it is important to distinguish between different varieties and thoroughly clean them. Algae such as Gracilaria may adsorb heavy metals, and regular aquaculture products should be selected; The tender shoots of bergamot should avoid pesticide residues. Both types of ingredients belong to the cold nature, and those with spleen and stomach deficiency should not eat too much. It is recommended to alternate the consumption of different types of dragon beard vegetables in daily life to obtain diverse nutrients, and controlling the amount of oil and salt during cold mixing is more in line with healthy eating principles.