People pick fresh jitoumi in Xiedaidang town, Wuxi in early August. [Photo/wxrb.com]

Fresh jitoumi, which translates as "chicken head rice" or "gorgon fruit seed", is currently entering its harvest season in Xiedaidang town, Wuxi, East China's Jiangsu province.

It is an ideal snack for autumn and is one of the eight aquatic delicacies harvested from Taihu Lake.

The jitoumi plantations in Xiedaidang town cover more than 33 hectares of water, making the town the largest producing base of jitoumi in southern Jiangsu.

The plantations are expected to be expanded to about 60 hectares of water, according to Hua Dongming, Party secretary of Xiedaidang town.

People can buy fresh gorgon fruit kernels from street vendors, with the round, soft, and chewy ones being the best for cooking.

It is usually cooked with sugar and dried osmanthus as a traditional festive treat in the Jiangnan area. It is also recommended to cook the dish with lotus seeds and Chinese yams, which have a wide range of health benefits.

The jitoumi harvest season usually runs from early August to late October.

After peeling a jitoumi, one will see several round seeds inside. [Photo/wxrb.com]

A dish with shrimp and jitoumi is an ideal choice for a light summer meal. [Photo/wxrb.com]

Round, soft, and chewy gorgon fruit seeds are the best for cooking. [Photo/wxrb.com]