Linyi city's burdock cuisine grows ever-popular

Taking the edible greater burdock vegetable as the main ingredient, over 100 top local chefs from East China's Shandong province gathered in Lanling county in Linyi city in the province on Sept 24, to make a variety of dishes.

The greater burdock, or Arctium lappa, is a Eurasian species of plants cultivated in gardens for its root used as an edible vegetable.

The Linyi city cooking competition was part of the 2023 China (Lanling) Burdock Food Festival, which enabled more people to experience the special appeal of burdock cuisine in Lanling.

One highlight was scrambled chicken containing burdock, with the addition of burdock, said to add a refreshing taste.

Known as the hometown of the burdock, Lanling is home to 100,000 mu (6,667 hectares) of the plant. The locals are also combining the burdock industry with rural vitalization and smart village construction, developing a diverse range of burdock-related products and agricultural projects. (Edited by Chen Chuxuan)

An example of a burdock dish in Lanling county. [Photo by Feng Lei for chinadaily.com.cn]

The growing burdock industry in Lanling county is boosting the incomes of the locals. [Photo by Feng Lei for chinadaily.com.cn]