Start of Summer (Lixia)
At Start of Summer, food is best kept light, fresh, and seasonal, with a taste of new produce rather than heavy dishes.
Script
Hello, and welcome to Start of Summer, Lixia. In the classic, “li” means to begin, and “xia” means great. By now, all things have grown large. For this season, people keep food light, fresh, and seasonal. Broad beans are a familiar early-summer choice. Amaranth greens are another everyday green for this time. Cherries also fit the season, and they are often enjoyed in small amounts. One home-style dish for the table is stir-fried broad beans with salted egg yolk. At Start of Summer, it is also best to go easy on overly oily and heavy food, and not overdo iced drinks and frozen desserts. If you want to try the season by hand, take a look at the Start of Summer Seasonal Tasting Ingredient Pack.
On the table this season
- Broad beansneutral
Fresh early-summer beans are in season and traditionally eaten for their tender texture.
- Amaranth greenscool
A seasonal leafy vegetable that is light and easy to pair with everyday meals.
- Cherrieswarm
A fresh fruit of the season that suits trying in small amounts.
- Duck eggscool
A common home ingredient that is convenient for steaming, boiling, or stir-frying.
- Garlic scapeswarm
Crisp and fragrant, they suit quick stir-fries.
Cook it
Stir-Fried Broad Beans with Salted Egg Yolk
Ingredients: broad beans, salted egg yolk, cooking oil, scallions, a little salt
- Shell the broad beans, rinse them, and set aside.
- Bring water to a boil, blanch the broad beans until just cooked, then remove and drain.
- Mash the salted egg yolk and finely chop the scallions.
- Heat oil in a pan, stir-fry the salted egg yolk until fragrant, then add the broad beans and toss well.
- Add a little salt to taste and sprinkle with scallions before serving.
Stir-Fried Garlic Scapes with Duck Eggs
Ingredients: garlic scapes, duck eggs, cooking oil, salt, a little water
- Wash and cut the garlic scapes into sections, and beat the duck eggs.
- Heat oil in a pan, scramble the duck eggs into soft pieces, then remove and set aside.
- Add a little more oil, then stir-fry the garlic scapes until their color deepens.
- Add a splash of water and cook briefly, then return the duck eggs to the pan and toss together.
- Season with salt, stir well, and serve.
Go easy on
- Eat less overly oily and heavy food.
- Do not overdo iced drinks and frozen desserts; eating in season fits the season better.
- Seasonal fruit is best enjoyed in small amounts rather than all at once.
Classical source
立夏，四月節。立字解見春。夏，假也。物至此時皆假大也。Yueling Qishier Hou Jijie (Wu Cheng, Yuan dynasty)
Beginning of Summer opens the fourth lunar month. "Li" means to begin, and "xia" means great: by now all things have grown large.
Original text on Wikisource · Diet text drafted with AI and pending expert review.