NEWS//Steamed locust flower

Have you eaten any locust blossoms recently? Ever?

Steamed locust flower is a favorite dish in parts of China in April and May.

Guo Anfei writes in the China Daily, "The flower is one of my favorite foods, and it becomes even more delicious when it is dipped in sesame oil. [When I was a child,] my cousin and I would consume large amounts of steamed locust flower. I would always be stuffed, unable to eat another bite for supper."

The Silk Road Gourmet, Laura Kelley, notes that "many Silk Road countries prepare [locust flowers] in a savory or spicy manner, or use them to add sweet flavor to dishes that are otherwise not sweet."

Pauline D Loh, also writing for China Daily, says, "The locust buds are a beloved food in spring, rinsed off in salt water and tossed in cornmeal before being steamed. They are a delicious gift from nature. The flowers are also steamed on their own, and chopped up as a fragrant filling for dumplings and pancakes. In our house, the flower clusters also get deep-fried as tempura, which is excellent beer food.

Sources: Echo’s Kitchen, The Strait Times, China Daily, Silk Road Gourmet