Gorgon nuts usually sell in large quantities in mid-August. However, there were two shops selling gorgon nuts at Fengmen Hengjie Street, Gusu District on July 28.
Gorgon nut, also known as Suzhou Euryale, is a kind of gorgon Euryale seed and the fruit of an aquatic plant. As one of the Eight Aquatic Plants in Suzhou, it is widely accepted by consumers and is honored as “aquatic ginseng” because it is fresh and good for the skin which women care about most.
▲ Gorgon Nut “Farmland”
The growing period of gorgon nuts usually lasts 45 days. This batch of gorgon nuts is relatively premature with a price of RMB120 yuan per 500 grams, which is as same as last year’s. Gorgon nuts normally appear on the market in a large quantity at the end of August and in early September, and the price may fluctuate slightly. In previous years, they priced at about RMB110 yuan per 500 grams.
It’s not cheap, why?
▲ Growers working hard in the water
Because the gorgon nuts are literally hard-won. As the gorgon nuts only ripen in late summer and early autumn, growers usually go picking up the seeds very early in the morning. They may wear long-sleeve tops and pants to protect themselves from the thorny stems and leaves. Then they have to grope for the seeds growing in the water.
The process of peeling, however, is more complicated. Growers have to peel the outer thorny skin and get the inside fruit first; then rip the thin layer to get the brown seed; scratch off the seed skin and the white plumb seed is what we call “gorgon nut”. The last step can only be completed by hand as growers have to use a customized iron-finger nail. That’s the reason why the gorgon nuts are not cheap.
▲ Iron-finger-nail
There are many ways to cook gorgon nuts, among which the most famous one is gorgon nuts fried with shrimp meat. First, shell prawns and devein them with a toothpick, and add salt, eggs, and cooking wine, in turn, to pickle them evenly for backup; then put the gorgon nuts into the boiling water for two minutes. Put a small amount of oil in the wok, stir-fry the ginger and garlic, add the pickled shrimps into the wok and stir-fry them till their color changes; then put the gorgon nuts in the wok and stir-fry for one to two minutes, and finally mix the seasoning to your liking.
▲ Gorgon Nuts Fried With Shrimp Meat
▲ Gorgon Nut and Osmanthus Flower in Syrup
▲ Gorgon Nut Sugary Congee
In addition, you can also cook gorgon nuts, red dates, job’s tears, chicken meat, duck meat, and ribs together in a soup, or make a bowl of gorgon nuts with sugar water.