With the coming of colder weather, cosy up to some earthy Asian vegetables such banana stems, lotus roots, cassava and yams.
Here's yet another Asian vegetable guide, a complement to the previous ones that I've written about.
This time, it's all about gourds, melons, tubers or roots – the kind of veggies one associates with cooler climes.
BANANA STEM: This refers to the portion removed from the inner part of the banana trunk. It's cheap and used everywhere from Bali to Burma. By the way, the banana fruits only once, so the trees are felled soon after to allow the young plans to mature.
Usually, 12-inch sections are sold. Peel off the outer layers to get the crisp centre and wrap in a paper towel. Refrigerate up to 4 days. To prepare: Use an oiled knife to slice the inner stem across, soak in cold water for 2 hours and pull away the stick sap. Use in soups and vegetable stews.
CASSAVA/TAPIOCA: The starch extracted from this root is usually sold as tapioca flour or shaped into "pearls." The root is boiled as a vegetable or grated and used in cakes or savoury dishes.
Choose small, young roots, the cassava can be wraped in plastic and put in the fridge for up to 3 days. To cook: cut the roots into 3-inch lengths and boil with a little salt. It can also be simmered in coconut milk with leafy greens. Boiled cassava can be mashed or grated and mixed with sugar and then baked or steamed.
CHAYOTE: This light green pear-shaped gourd is popular in the Philippines. It's also known as custard marrow, choko and christophene. Do not buy if the gourd is starting to send out shoots. Rich in vitamin C, you must remove the wrinkled skin - this gourd should be halved, then sliced or diced.
Finely sliced, it can be substituted for celery in salads or, if cut lengthwise in half, simmered and steamed or baked with a savoury filling.
JICAMA or BANGKUANG: A crisp tuber sometimes referred to in China as "turnip " because of its shape. Shaped like brown spinning tops, the younger jicama is ofter sweeter in flavour.Taste is potatoe-like with a texture like water chestnuts. Buy the smallest ones and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Wash and pull off the skin with a knife.
Slice, shred or grate and use raw or cooked. Often thrown into salads or used in stir-fried combinations.
LOTUS ROOTS: Cultivated for 3,000 years by the Chinese, all parts of this plant are edible. Fresh lotus root should be eaten while young. Lotus roots consist of a small round segments (4 to 8 inches) linked together. Look for short, firm roots without soft sports or black streaks. Wrap and refrigerate up to a one week. To prepare: wash thoroughly, peel, slice and drop into water with some drops of vinegar or lemon juice.
Sometimes eaten raw, sprinkled with salt and sugar. Often sliced and added to soup, stir-fried or stuffed or deep-fried in batter.
YAM: Often confused in North America with sweet potato or taro or cocoyam. Yam is an entirely different tuber. Yams can weigh up to 1 lb and are often unevenly shaped. Buy ones without discolouration and store in a cool, dry place. To prepare: peel before boiling .
Often used in coconut milk-based desserts such as bubor cha cha.
YELLOW CUCUMBER: Looking like an oval coconut with coarse, yellowish/brown skin. Choose firm cucumbers and keep in the fridge for 3 weeks. To prepare: wash skin thoroughly, halve lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut the skin and flesh into slices or small chunks.
Added to Chinese soups with chicken or pork stock or can be made into a sweet pickle. By the way, the Chinese believe this veggie helps moisturize the lungs, preventing coughs.
Stay tuned for the next installment for some delicious recipes involving chayote and jicama.
Previous veggie recipes include: Holiday Salads, Stir-Fried Pea Shoots, Green Papaya Salad and Indian Chickpeas and Eggplant.
