Lotus flowers are offering a taste of summer in southwest China's Sichuan Province, where delicacies made from the plant's blossoms and leaves are considered a popular seasonal treat.

Sichuan is known for its intensely spicy cuisine, but these flowers give locals a different way to refresh their taste buds in the summer. From steamed chicken wrapped in lotus leaves to lotus flower congee and fried lotus petals, villagers on the outskirts of Mianyang City have been enjoying an array of dishes made from the beautiful blooms.
"Homemade dishes prepared with lotus flowers and leaves have a refreshing taste that makes meat less greasy in the hot summer," said Chen Na, a local villager.
Besides lotus, flowers such as roses, osmanthus and chrysanthemums are also common ingredients in Chinese cuisine.