Posted on March 19th, 2009 by admin
The Chinese water chestnut, more often called simply the water chestnut, is a grass-like sedge grown for its edible corms. It has tube-shaped, leafless green stems that grow to about 1.5 metres. The Chinese water chestnut is native to China and is widely cultivated in flooded paddy fields in southern China and parts of the Philippines. The small, rounded corms have a crispy white flesh and can be eaten raw, slightly boiled, grilled, pickled, or tinned. They are a popular ingredient in Chinese dishes. In China, they are most often eaten raw, sometimes sweetened. They can also be ground into a flour form used for making water chestnut cake. They are unusual among vegetables for remaining crisp even after being cooked or canned.
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Posted on March 19th, 2009 by admin
Globe Artichokes are most frequently prepared for cooking by removing all but 5–10 mm or so of the stem, and (optionally) cutting away about a quarter of each scale with scissors. This removes the thorns that can interfere with handling the leaves when eating. Then, the artichoke is boiled or steamed until tender. If boiling, salt can be added to the water, if desired. It may be preferable not to cover the pot while the artichokes are boiled, so that the acids will boil out into the air. Leaves are often removed and eaten one at a time, sometimes dipped in vinegar, butter, mayonnaise, aioli, lemon juice or other sauces.
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Posted on March 19th, 2009 by admin
Parts of the plant in different stages, can be used as food. The leaves of young plants are sometimes collected as a spring green potherb and eaten after repeated blanchings. Shoots are also blanched with several changes of water and eaten as a substitute for asparagus. They become cathartic as they advance to maturity. The cooked greens are sold commercially in the Southern states of North America, but any food use of the plant is controversial because of toxins in the plant.
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Posted on March 19th, 2009 by admin
Yams are a primary agricultural commodity in West Africa and New Guinea. They were first cultivated in Africa and Asia about 8000 B.C. Due to their abundance and consequently, their importance to survival, the yam was highly regarded in Nigerian ceremonial culture and even worshiped. Yams are still important for survival in these regions. The tubers can be stored up to six months without refrigeration, which makes them a valuable resource for the yearly period of food scarcity at the beginning of the wet season. Yams of African species must be cooked to be safely eaten, because various natural substances in raw yams can cause illness if consumed.
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Posted on February 24th, 2009 by admin
Ginger is the underground stem of the ginger plant. The ginger plant has a long history of cultivation, having originated in Asia. It is grown in India, Southeast Asia, West Africa and the Caribbean. Ginger is often pickled in vinegar or sherry as a snack or just cooked as an ingredient in many dishes. It can also be stewed in boiling water to make ginger tea, to which honey is often added as a sweetener. Diced ginger is often used as a constituent in curries. The juice from old ginger roots is extremely potent and is often used as a spice in Indian recipes and Chinese cuisine to flavour dishes such as seafood or mutton and vegetarian recipes.
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