Table of content A-Z
water chestnut
Botanical name: Eleocharis dulcis
The water chestnut is native to the tropical regions of West Africa, Madagascar, India and in all of Polynesia, as well as East Asia. It is cultivated in India, the Philippines, Hawaii and the southern part of the USA.
Appearance, taste, characteristics
The water chestnut is a swamp grass plant and grows in swamps, rivers and standing water. The plant is grown specifically for its roots, which grow below ground on up to 1.25-cm-long stalks. Round, flattened, corms containing starch form on the roots; these have a dark-brown skin and yellowish-white pulp. The pulp is the consistency of an apple and tastes slightly sweet and nutty like a chestnut. The corms are not ripe until the upper part of the plant has died. Then they can be harvested. They may also be left in the earth for some time and harvested only as needed.
Ingredients
100 g of water chestnut contain:
Water chestnut, fresh |
|
| Energie (kcal) | 64 |
| Wasser (g) | 80 |
| Eiweiß (g) | 1,4 |
| Fett (g) | < 1 |
| Kohlenhydrate (g) | 14 |
| Ballaststoffe (g) | 3,6 |
| Vitamin B1 (μg) | 140 |
| Vitamin B2 (μg) | 200 |
| Niacin (NÄ) (mg) | 1,2 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 4,5 |
| Folsäure (μg) | 50 |
| Kalium (mg) | 537 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 22 |
| Phosphor (mg) | 70 |
| Eisen (mg) | < 1 |
Quality criteria, optimal storage conditions
After you open a tin of water chestnuts it is recommended that you keep them in a glass filled with water. If the water is changed daily, the chestnuts will keep for a good month.
Form of consumption, use, processing, practical tips for preparation
The corms can be eaten raw, but they are usually peeled, cut in small cubes and cooked. When cooked the water chestnut retains its firm, crisp texture. Various dishes such as stir-fried vegetables can be pepped up this way.
It is no longer possible to imagine many Asian dishes without the water chestnut. It is especially popular in China. Not only the corms are used there; baskets, hats and mats are woven from the straw.
Normally, water chestnuts can be bought in Germany only in tins. With some luck you may find them in a well-assorted supermarket, with certainty, however, in an Asian shop.
_________________________
This article was written by
 |
With the website www.the-green-pantry.com the Fritz Terfloth Foundation of Münster offers consumers independent and competent information about plant foods and their health effects. All texts are subject to German copyright law. Information about the conditions for use of the texts by third parties can be found here. |