03x02 - Lily

[bunniefuu]

LILY

Late October, the temperature
drops below freezing.

This is the sign of winter
in the Longxi Plateau.

QIDAOLIANG VILLAGE, LANZHOU, GANSU

Sun Qingchun adjusts her stove.

She wants to make a snack

that's unique to this season
for her granddaughter.

SUN QINGCHUN

This white, spherical object

is a bulbous root plant
grown by the Sun family.

It's called lily.

LANZHOU LILY

I'm baking the lilies.

You can eat them later.

In the oven,

the heat is warm and even.

The tender lilies
slowly lose their moisture.

The baking process takes minutes.

BAKED LILIES

Crispy and golden on the outside,
soft and delicate on the inside.

Sweet with a bit of burnt aroma.

It's hot.

It's delicious. So hot.

Blow on it.

This delicacy belongs to Lanzhou.

The story starts in the summer.

WEST ORCHARD, QILI RIVER DISTRICT,
LANZHOU, GANSU

, TO ,M ABOVE SEA LEVEL

July.

There is a faint fragrance in the air.

Compared to the downtown area of Lanzhou
km away,

this place is more refreshing and humid.

Sun Qingchun's family needs to
finish harvesting the lily blossoms.

Lily.

Its petals are edible too.

Lightly blanch in hot water,

their texture is refreshingly smooth,
almost like wood ear mushroom.

When stir-fried,
the aroma emanates in the air.

STIR-FRIED LILIES WITH VEGETABLES

Locals prefer to use them as a topping.

Pairing them with white noodles,

it's considered a summer delicacy.

However,

the lily's flavorful blossom
is just considered a bonus.

The real objective of harvesting them
is to preserve more energy

for its roots beneath the soil.

These white tubers
that look like onions are lily bulbs.

In the dark,

nutrients and moisture
are slowly being gathered.

The West Orchard is around , meters
above sea level.

As the daily temperature range is large
and yellow soil is deep and loose,

the lilies here
have a unique growth pattern.

Lilies are perennial plants.

Its stem might look wilted,

but it continues
to grow beneath the soil.

The lily field in this valley

has been growing for three years.

Sun's kids have come back
to help with the picking.

This isn't harvest time yet.

Because lilies require very fertile soil,

they must be dug up periodically,

replanted in rotations,

and experience a longer growth period.

Many places in China produce lilies.

Aside from Lanzhou,
lilies from other areas

usually grow for around two years.

They have a slightly bitter taste.

YIXING LILIES

LONGYA LILIES

In the first snow of winter,

the temperature quickly dropped.

The lilies in this sloping field
experienced seven winters underground,

and it's finally time for harvest.

Over a hundred years ago,

lilies were introduced to Lanzhou.

After much trial and error,

the locals finally grasped
the pattern of its growth.

Its slow growth
makes Lanzhou lilies round and full.

They have a high sugar content,

making them the only sweet lilies
in the world.

With very little coarse fiber content,
its texture is crispy like fruits.

After leaving the soil,

lilies need to be carefully placed
in a freezer at - degrees Celsius.

The accumulation of flavor
doesn't stop at this point.

The starch continues
to be converted into sugar.

The sugar level is continuously rising.

Lanzhou lily has a sweet flavor.

It can play different roles when cooked.

When stir-fried after a quick blanch,

its clean texture is best paired
with the firmness of shrimps.

STIR-FRIED SHRIMP WITH LILY

When slow-cooked
with silver ear mushroom and lotus seeds,

they make a light and smooth
classic Chinese dessert.

Steam thoroughly, then mash them.

Chill then season.

They taste as delicate
and as sweet as ice cream.

ROSE AND LILY

Place that over there.

Make room in that spot.

The short harvest is over.

Her kids will return to the city.

At dinner,
lilies still play the main role.

In Sun Qingchun's household,

freshly-harvested lilies

don't need to be handled
in a complicated way.

Paired with different ingredients,

simply stir-fry them,
and they'll be delicious.

STIR-FRIED LILY WITH PORK

STIR-FRIED LILY WITH PEPPERS

STIR-FRIED LILIES WITH CELERY
AND WOOD EAR MUSHROOM

Traditionally,
in the Chinese language, lilies

signify a blissful life and happy family.

By chance, they took root in Lanzhou.

After a long process,
it gets rid of its bitterness in the end.

Combined with home-cooked dishes,

they add color to the world of flavor.