Despite being called chestnuts, water chestnuts are not nuts at all. They are aquatic tuber vegetables that grow in marshes, ponds, paddy fields and shallow lakes. Water Chestnuts can be eaten raw or cooked.  Slice, dice or leave them whole. The water chestnut’s brownish skin resembles that of a true chestnut, but its flesh is white, crunchy and juicy, The flavour is bland with a hint of sweetness. Water chestnuts are very popular in Asian cooking, especially stir fried dishes where the crunchy texture stands out.

Raw tubers can be eaten as a snack, shredded or grated for salads or coleslaws. Sweet applications call for adding Water Chestnuts to heated sugared liquids, like coconut milk, cow’s milk or water. These can then be made into desserts or beverages. Water Chestnuts maintain their crisp texture even when cooked. Wrap slices of Water Chestnuts in bacon and roast or toss in tapioca starch and fry. Add to stir-fry, omelettes, soups or stews at the end of the cooking process. They can be chopped or shredded and added to meat for dim sum filling.

INGREDIENTS

Water, water chestnuts, acidity regulator (330).