Water chestnut

Ultra-rich in potassium & with zero fat content, water chestnuts are your best bet this season.

Where would Chinese food be without it? The knobby vegetable with the papery greenish- brown skin is a staple in Chinese cooking. The water chestnut is actually not a nut at all, but an aquatic vegetable that grows in marshes. This is why the ones that you purchase may have a muddy coating. But one roasted the soft skin turns into a hard black, coating. The name comes from the fact that it resembles chestnut in shape and colour. Although indigenous to Southeast Asia. It has been cultivated in china since ancient times.

NO SOFT SPOT

When choosing fresh water chestnuts, look for firm ones with unwrinkled skins and no soft spots. Otherwise, when you peel the water chestnut you may find it has softened and turned mushy inside. Generally, it’s best to buy more chestnut than needed, just in case a few have spoiled.

STAY FRESH

Water chestnuts are frequently added to stir fries, stuffing and dempling fillings for extra texture & a sweet flavour. Fresh or canned? Fresh water chestnuts are worth hunting for, as they have a sweeter flavour & are quite crisp. However, canned water chestnuts can be used as substitutes particularly if they are being added mainly for texture. You must definitely try to use fresh water chestnuts in appetizers such as bacon wrapped water chestnuts or any other dish where the water chestnut is the main ingredients.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE.

Nutritionally, water chestnuts are a good source of potassium and fibre. They are low in sodium and the fat content is virtually non-existent. Calorie wise, one water pressure of water chestnut slices contain about 130 calories. Low carbohydrate dieters, beware: water chestnuts are high in carbohydrates. You may try replacing them with low carbohydrate bamboo shoots. It is difficult to find another vegetable combining the sweet flavour and crunchy texture of water chestnuts.