Flavors
of Asia
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They came to the attention of American diners back in the 1950s when "exotic" foods were the latest food trend. Chinese and Japanese restaurants were mushrooming across the country and Americans looked for ways to use these foreign foods in their own cooking. Betty Crocker and Ann Pillsbury were teaching cooks how to use these new flavors including the water chestnut. These easy-to-grow aquatic plants are found in fresh water ponds and slow moving streams in China and Southeast Asia, and are harvested in the late summer by scooping the plant's roots and tubers off the bottom with large forks. It is why the fresh water chestnuts sold in Asian grocers still have some mud stuck to them. While they resemble the tree-grown chestnut, they are not a nut, but retain their crunchy nut-like quality when cooked. Fresh water chestnuts and canned water chestnuts are distinctively different, so whenever possible, fresh water chestnuts are best to use. The canned version, packed in water, has been peeled and left whole with about 25 30 per eight-ounce can. They are crunchy but have a slightly salty, bland, starchy flavor. Fresh water chestnuts need to be thoroughly washed, then peeled with a knife and have a slightly acidic, nutty flavor. Once peeled, they will keep in the refrigerator for a week in a container of water that is changed every day. Half a cup of water chestnuts has about 50 calories, no fat and 12 grams of carbohydrates. They also contain iron and vitamin C. Take your time in selecting fresh water chestnuts. (It's a dirty job, but well worth the effort.) Squeeze each one and reject any that are soft or smell as if they are fermented. Look for full, solid water chestnuts, no matter how dirty they are. And beware of bags filled with perfectly formed, clean water chestnuts. They are commercially grown in a controlled environment and are as tasteless as the canned variety, but you do the peeling. Fresh or canned, water chestnuts add a texture to dishes where crunch is important, and they do absorb the flavors and seasonings of sauces. There was a time when everyone's cocktail party included Rumaki and it is still a favorite of many. It is a great example of how the water chestnut adds texture and absorbs flavors. It is also easy, can be assembled in advance, then cooked just before serving. Rumaki Marinate liver pieces and water chestnuts in Teriyaki sauce and ginger. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Place one piece of liver on one water chestnut coin and wrap with bacon. Secure with toothpick. (To hold for up to one hour, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.) Place rumaki on a broiling pan and broil 4 inches from heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Serve immediately. (Reprinted from Asian Pages 3/1/04) |
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