Artichoke belongs to the Liliaceae family and looks like a lotus, so some people call it lotus lily. Although it is called artichoke, it is not directly related to North Korea. Its origin is on the Mediterranean coast. The adult plant height of artichoke is 1 to 1.5 meters. The leaves are wide and coarsely serrated, and the flower buds are wrapped with multiple layers of sepals. When you remove the outer sepals, you can see the receptacle inside. The fat and tender flower buds of artichokes are edible. The thick and tender bract bases and fleshy receptacles of the flower buds have a chestnut-like aroma. They can be eaten fresh, made into sauces, soups or canned. The stems and leaves can be cooked and eaten after softening, and have a fresh taste. Artichokes are highly nutritious and contain the highest nutritional value of vitamins and minerals among vegetables. Each 100g edible part contains 2.8g of protein, 9.9g of sugar, 150mg of vitamin A, 8mg of vitamin C, 51 mg of calcium, and 69 mg of phosphorus. In addition, it also contains medicinal ingredients such as cynarin, asparagine, and flavonoid natural compounds, which are beneficial to It is very effective in treating chronic hepatitis and lowering cholesterol. It can also be used to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases.
There are many ways to eat artichokes. Europeans and Americans usually boil the entire artichoke bud for about 20 minutes. When the flower receptacle becomes soft, peel off the outer 4 to 5 layers of bracts. According to each person's preference Dip it in different seasonings and eat it; some cut the outer layer of the receptacle clean and then slice it, dip it in a batter made of flour, eggs, and milk, fry it until the surface turns golden brown, and eat it; some wash the receptacle and slice it into pieces. It can be eaten raw as a base for meat; it can also be canned in vinegar and used as a cold appetizer in Western dishes.
Artichoke is cold-resistant and easy to survive. The optimum temperature for its seeds to germinate is 20°C, and the optimum temperature for plant growth is 13-17°C. It is sown in September in warm areas in the south, and in winter and spring in the Yangtze River Basin and the north. Seedlings are raised and transplanted into the field from April to May, and the flower buds are harvested in the following spring.
Precisely because artichokes are easy to grow, delicious and have high nutritional value, they have been selected as the vegetables for the 2008 Olympic Games. I believe that as 2008 approaches, these high-end rare vegetables introduced from abroad will become more and more popular among people.