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.
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