As the warm spring winds begin to blow, Chinese garlic in Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong, Jiangsu province, becomes ripe for the taking. The herb's fresh, spicy taste always evokes fond memories for locals. 

Chinese garlic usually grows in the shade and in low-lying areas. Their small heads spring up in the most unexpected places, and locals will search for them in the field with spades and baskets.

After being washed and drained, Chinese garlic is often pressed into earthen jars along with salt. The jars are placed in the shade, and days later, the garlic is cooked into delicious dishes along with pickled Chinese garlic.

Locals prefer to steam salted meat together with pickled Chinese garlic. The combination of glazed salted meat and yellow-green pickled Chinese garlic produces an unforgettable aftertaste.

If not pickled, the chopped fresh Chinese garlics can also be fried with meat and rice. The taste has enamored generations of locals.

The combination of glazed salted meat and yellow-green pickled Chinese garlic produces an unforgettable aftertaste. [Photo/WeChat account: hafbwx]