STORY: Traditional delicacy on Chinese solar term Minor Heat
DATELINE: July 7, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:16
LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MOMEN HAROON, Student from Shanghai International Studies University
2. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): MOMEN HAROON, Student from Shanghai International Studies University
3. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): JIN XIAOHE, Villager of Hujiadai village, Shanghai Songjiang district
4. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MOMEN HAROON, Student from Shanghai International Studies University
5. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): JIN XIAOHE, Villager of Hujiadai village, Shanghai Songjiang district
6. SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): MOMEN HAROON, Student from Shanghai International Studies University
7. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): JIN XIAOHE, Villager of Hujiadai village, Shanghai Songjiang district

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): MOMEN HAROON, Student from Shanghai International Studies University
"Hello everyone, my name is Momen Haroon and I'm from Jordan. Today (July 7) is the Minor Heat, or Xiaoshu in China's traditional 24 solar terms. Minor Heat means it's too hot but not the hottest. And it is also the season of lotus blooming."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): MOMEN HAROON, Student from Shanghai International Studies University
"Hello. It's really beautiful here."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): JIN XIAOHE, Villager of Hujiadai village, Shanghai Songjiang district
"Yes. Our Lotus Festival will kick off on July 18th. When the tender leaves just come out, they can be cooked. Let's cut this. Let's make today's dish: lotus leaves salad.
We use tender lotus leaves as the main ingredient. Pour water into the pot, and add a little salt and oil. When water is boiling, we put the leaves in it. Next, we cut them into shreds and squeeze water out. Add a little salt and sugar, and keep kneading to reduce the taste of bitterness. Then, we add some cranberries, orange zest, boiled oil and salad sauce. Let's make it well-displayed. Have a taste."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): MOMEN HAROON, Student from Shanghai International Studies University
"It's really delicious. It's sour and sweet."

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): JIN XIAOHE, Villager of Hujiadai village, Shanghai Songjiang district
"The orange zest gives the taste of sourness and cranberries the sweetness. With the fusion of these flavors, the bitterness of lotus leaves is gone."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): MOMEN HAROON, Student from Shanghai International Studies University
"It's not bitter at all."

SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): JIN XIAOHE, Villager of Hujiadai village, Shanghai Songjiang district
"This dish especially fits summer, as lotus leaves have heat-clearing and detoxifying effect."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Shanghai, China.
(XHTV)