The name of this food is water chestnut bí qi.

Water chestnut, also known as water chestnut, water chestnut, black taro, water chestnut, etc., belongs to the monocotyledonous Cyperaceae family and is a perennial herbaceous plant. There are slender creeping rhizomes, and tubers are born at the top of the creeping rhizomes, commonly known as water chestnuts.

It is native to China and widely distributed all over the world. It is cultivated all over the country, mostly in tropical and subtropical areas. Water chestnuts have purple-black skin, white meat, sweet and juicy taste, crisp and delicious, and can be eaten as raw fruits or vegetables. The bulbs are rich in starch and can be eaten raw, cooked or extracted from starch, and are sweet in taste. They are also used for medicinal purposes, appetizing, detoxifying, eliminating chronic food, and strengthening the stomach.

Extended information:

Main varieties:

1. Black-seeded water chestnut

Black-seeded water chestnut is a plant of the genus Water Chestnut in the Cyperaceae family. , distributed in Japan, Taiwan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, India and Guangdong, Hainan, Fujian and other places in mainland China, usually growing on roadsides and watersides.

2. Guilin Horseshoe

A local variety in Guilin City, Guangxi. Plant height 100-120 cm, spread 20 cm. The bulb is oblate, 2.4 cm high and 4 cm in transverse diameter. The terminal bud is thick and the two side buds often stand side by side, so it is called "three-branched mast". The skin is reddish brown and the flesh is white. Each one weighs 30 grams. Mainly eaten fresh, it can also be cooked and processed. It has high sugar content, crispy meat and high quality. It has strong growth potential and strong resistance to lodging.

3. Water Horse Hoof

A local variety in Guangdong. The plant height is 70-90 cm, and the spreading degree is 15-20 cm. The bulb is oblate, 2 cm high, 2.5-3 cm in transverse diameter, with longer terminal buds, dark brown skin and white flesh. Each one weighs 10 grams. The starch content is high, mainly cooked food and making starch. It has strong growth potential, strong resistance to stress, moisture resistance, and intolerance to storage.

4. Chives

Original from the Philippines. Plant height 110-120 cm. The bulbs are large, oval, with a transverse diameter of 4 cm and a longitudinal diameter of 2.6 cm. Each bulb weighs 25 grams. It is crisp and sweet in texture and of good quality. It is mainly eaten fresh, with a yield of more than 2,000 kilograms per mu.

5. Xiaogan shepherd's nut

A local variety in Xiaogan City, Hubei Province. Plant height 90-110 cm. The bulbs are oblate and bright red, with an average weight of 22 grams each. They have thin skin, sweet taste, and less fine residue. They are mainly eaten fresh and are of good quality. The yield per mu is 1000-1500 kilograms.

6. Sunflower root

A local variety in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province. Plant height 100-110 cm. The bulb is oblate, with a pointed terminal bud, flat navel, thin skin, and white flesh. Each one weighs about 15 grams. Suitable for canning processing. The yield per mu is 750-1000 kilograms.

7. Yuhang shepherd's purse

A local variety in Yuhang County, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, with oblate bulbs, thick and straight terminal buds, flat navel, brown-red skin, thin skin, and sweet taste. Each one weighs about 20 grams. Suitable for canning and fresh food processing, with a yield of 1,000-1,200 kilograms per mu.

8. Guanghong Water Chestnuts

Due to the special soil of Guanghong (located in Shetianqiao Town, Shaodong, Hunan), the water chestnuts produced every winter have white flesh, red and thin skin, and a loose taste. Crisp and sweet. Good size. Every year on the production date, there is an endless stream of tourists rushing to buy! The locals also call her "Sister-in-law".

9. Wild water chestnuts

Wild water chestnuts have long creeping rhizomes with many stalks, clustered, upright, cylindrical, 30-100 cm high and 4-7 mm in diameter. Gray green, with a diaphragm in the middle, and knots on the surface of the stalk after drying. The leaves are absent and there are only 2-3 leaf sheaths at the base of the stalk. The spikelets are cylindrical, slightly green, with a blunt tip and many flowers. The style base tapers upward from the wide base to form an isosceles triangle. It is produced in Fujian and Guangdong, China.

10. Water chestnut with dense flowers

Water chestnut with dense flowers is a plant of the genus Water Chestnut in the Cyperaceae family. It has not yet been artificially introduced and cultivated. It is distributed in India, Vietnam and Yunnan in mainland China. , grows in areas with an altitude of 1300 meters to 1400 meters, mostly beside streams, ponds and forest edges.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia-Water Chestnut