As the autumn rains come quietly, temperatures in most parts of China, especially in northern areas, have gradually dropped.

Thursday marks "Chu Shu" or the "End of Heat," the 14th of the 24 solar terms in the Chinese lunar calendar.

It is also the second chapter of CGTN's new series on the 24 solar terms, during which we will introduce one traditional Chinese vegetarian dish each episode. In the previous episode, we introduced steamed eggplants for Li Qiu or the Start of Autumn.

During the period of "Chu Shu," the temperature difference between day and night increases as the summer heat hasn’t totally retreated while the autumn coolness has already fallen.

During this transition in temperature and dry season, it's recommended that people eat foods helpful for protecting the stomach and moistening the lung.

Tremella Lily Lotus Seed Soup ("Yin Er Bai He Lian Zi Tang" in Chinese) is definitely one of the best choices.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, white tremella (Yin Er) and lily bulb (Bai He) both have moisturizing functions, while lotus seed has drying properties. Modern nutrition research states that they are rich in vitamins and protein. Chinese people have a long history of combining them in order to reduce excessive heat in the body, calm nerves and provide nutrition.

Soak lotus seeds and dried tremella in water separately for 30 minutes, peel the lotus seeds and remove the green embryos as they are bitter. Then put all these ingredients together with shredded pieces of lily bulbs into a pressure cooker.

It just takes 30 minutes to cook the soup. You can also add some dates or rock candy for sweetness.

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