Nut with horns that grow under the water

For every festival in China, there is always some food associated with it. The Chinese people were one of the first to truly appreciate the meaning of seasonal, and sustainable.

Around the time when the mid-autumn moon is at its brightest, a very unusual nut is ready for harvesting. This is the water caltrop, an odd-looking fruit of an aquatic plant found in the lakes and rivers of the Jiangzhe region of China.

Water caltrops have jet-black or wine-red shells, with snowy white flesh hidden underneath.