Lengzheng, or steamed green wheat, is a popular seasonal snack in Chongchuan district of Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province that is only available for about one month every year.

Green wheat grows on a farm. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

The snack is made from plump fruit that grows on wheat after the Qingming Festival.

After the green wheat is unshelled, it is stir-fried in an iron pot on a slow fire and then ground into filament with a stone mill. The wheat has a strong fragrance and soft but chewy taste.

Unshelled wheat is stir-fried with peanut kernels on a slow fire. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

Steamed green wheat is usually stir-fried with Chinese chives and pagoda tree flowers. It can also be used to cook porridge and rice or made into cakes with glutinous rice and sesame.

Finely ground green wheat. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

Steamed green wheat is believed by traditional Chinese medicine doctors to strengthen muscles and bones, remove moisture from the body, and relieve diarrhea.