The scientific name of Guizijian is Jerusalem artichoke.
There is a plant in the countryside. Its leaves and flowers are very similar to sunflowers, but the leaves are smaller and the stems are not that thick. Its reproductive capacity is amazing. Jerusalem artichoke belongs to the Asteraceae family and is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the sunflower genus. It is also known as Yang Jiang, Yang Spoon, Ginger Bora, etc. It is native to North America and was introduced to Europe in the 17th century. It was later introduced to China and is now generally distributed in North China, East China, South China, and Central China.
It also has an interesting name, Guizijian. According to data, the name "Guizijian" has nothing to do with Japan. There is a saying that Germany introduced it after it occupied Qingdao, and many people planted it around garden villas. Out of hatred for the invaders (Japs), the suffering Chinese people called him "Gap Jiang". There is also a saying that the top of its tuber resembles the legendary grimace, hence the name Guizijian.
Delicious ingredients
Jerusalem artichokes were very common in rural areas in the past, whether in vegetable gardens, rural courtyard walls, or on both sides of roads. In places with ravines and bumps, you can often see Jerusalem artichokes growing densely. Jerusalem artichoke grows tall and has thick and strong stalks. It will bloom with small yellow flowers in summer and autumn. After the frost in late autumn, the ground part will slowly wither, leaving withered stems. The underground rhizomes of Jerusalem artichoke are our delicious ingredients.
At first glance, Jerusalem artichoke looks like ginger, but it has nothing to do with our traditional condiment ginger. Different families and genera have different nutrients and tastes. Ginger has a spicy taste, while Jerusalem artichoke is not spicy, but has a sweet taste. It is crispy and has a good texture when you bite it.