Green Plums and Butterfly, by Gong Yilan. [Photo/artron.net]

Boil green plums

In South China, May and June are the season when plums become ripe. There was an allusion that Cao Cao and Liu Bei, two central figures in the Three Kingdoms period (AD220-280), talked about heroes while boiling green plums.

Green plums contain a variety of natural and high-quality organic acids and are rich in minerals. They can help clean blood, lower blood lipids, eliminate tiredness and improve one's looks. However, fresh plums are acerbic and need to be boiled before serving.