Cook's Guide to Asian Vegetables - Wendy Hutton

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      Cauliflower is a temperate climate vegetable once described by American writer Mark Twain as "a cabbage with a college education." These familiar vegetables are grown in most of Asia, although in warmer countries, the plant will survive only in mountainous regions. Cauliflower is distinguished by its creamy white flower heads—which are actually immature white flower buds that were never allowed to develop chlorophyll and turn green, as the flower buds are shielded from the sun by its leaves throughout the various stages of its growth. Cauliflower is particularly popular in India and China, and in Chinese communities throughout Asia.

      Appearance & Flavor Cauliflowers grown in Asia are generally much smaller and usually stronger flavored than the giants often found in temperate climates, although some cooks believe that the size of the heads does not affect its quality and taste. Choosing & Storing Look for heads that are bright white in color, with no traces of blackish mold. The flower buds should be firm and compact. If there are any leaves attached to the stem, these should be green and crisp. Store in a vegetable container in the refrigerator for several days. Preparing Wash the cauliflower, then slice off the florets around the stem core. Pull off any leaves and cut off all bruised or speckled portions. If stir-frying, the florets are generally halved in order to reduce cooking time. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties A good source of phosphorus, cauliflower is also rich in vitamin C, calcium and beta-carotene. Culinary Uses Although cauliflower is commonly used in Western dishes, it also makes a regular appearance in Asian cooking, where it is often stir-fried with garlic or added to soups and braised dishes. In India, it is simmered in a spicy sauce or dipped in batter and deep-fried. In general, do not cook the vegetable for too long—the plant acids in cauliflower form sulphurous compounds when the vegetable is heated, and the unpleasant smell of these compounds increases in intensity the longer the cooking time.

      Ceylon Spinach is believed to have originated in India, where it is also known as bayam and Indian or Malabar spinach. It has been cultivated in China for centuries, and is also grown in Africa. When mature, this fast-growing, fleshy plant produces red berries which were once used by Chinese women as rouge for coloring their cheeks, and by mandarins for coloring sealing wax. Both the leaves and tender stems are edible.

      Appearance & Flavor The fleshy, deep green leaves grow on either green or bright red stems. The flavor is pleasant, although the texture after cooking is somewhat sticky (the Chinese name for it translates as "mucilaginous" or "slippery vegetable"). The very young tips of Ceylon spinach are sometimes available in Asian markets, and sold as saan choy. Choosing & Storing Look for fresh, firm leaves with no sign of wilting. Ceylon spinach keeps very well, even without refrigeration, if the stems are placed in water. Wrapped in paper or kitchen towels, it will keep at least 1 week if refrigerated. Preparing Pull off the tender top of the stems, then remove the leaves from the harder portion of the stem. Rinse and drain. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties This type of spinach is rich in vitamins and minerals and also has mild laxative properties. Culinary Uses Ceylon spinach is added to soups and lentil dishes or blanched and used in vegetable salads. Ceylon spinach is also very good prepared Cantonese style—blanched, then tossed with oyster sauce, a touch of sugar and white pepper, and served scattered with crisp fried garlic or shallot slices.

      Chinese or Napa Cabbage seems to have more alternative names than any other cabbage. Native to northern Asia, it is also known as long white cabbage, Tientsin or Tianjin cabbage, wong bok cabbage or wong nga bok in Cantonese. Koreans use this cabbage for the most common version of their famous pickle, kim chee (see page 149).

      Appearance & Flavor This cabbage has crinkled, very pale green leaves at the end of long, wide, white-ribbed stalks. It grows in two main forms—a long, slender cabbage and a shorter, somewhat barrel-shaped variety. There is no difference in the flavor. Chinese cabbage is pleasantly crisp when raw, and has a slightly sweet flavor which intensifies after long, slow cooking. Chinese cabbage has the mildest taste of all Asian cabbages. Choosing & Storing Choose fresh-looking cabbages. Chinese cabbage is a hardy vegetable which keeps well refrigerated and at room temperature in a tropical climate, wrapped in damp newspaper and stored in an airy place for several days. In China, many cooks believe the flavor actually improves after the cabbage has been hung for a few days. Preparing Do not pull off any wilted outer leaves until just before cooking. Wash and drain, then separate and dry the leaves. Both the stalks and leaves are eaten, either sliced finely across or cut into larger sections, depending on the use. Culinary Uses This cabbage exudes a lot of moisture when cooked. It is often blanched or eaten raw in salads, shredded and added to fillings for dumplings, added to soups, or slowly braised to bring out its sweetness. It can also be stir-fried with noodles, although is not usually stir-fried on its own over high heat like most other cabbages as slower, more lengthy cooking improves its flavor.

      Chinese Kale or Kailan is sometimes referred to as Chinese broccoli, although it is most commonly known in the West as kailan, a variation of its Cantonese name, gal Ian. Kailan is eaten for its delicious stems rather than its leaves, which are too tough to be palatable. The crisp texture, bright dark green color and high nutritional value of this vegetable make it a favorite among the Chinese, and it is almost invariably on restaurant menus, particularly restaurants specializing in dim sum.

      Appearance & Flavor Kailan is generally marketed when it is about 6-8 in (15-20 cm) in length, and is prized mainly for its crisp central stem as the leaves tend to be tough and bitter. It is recognizable by the thick central stem and dull, thick leaves with a bluish green tinge. The flavor is emphatic but appealing to most palates. Another form, usually referred to as "baby" kailan, is only 2-3 in (5-8 cm) long and is grown by crowding seedlings together and encouraging their rapid growth with liberal amounts of fertilizer. Looking rather like loosely folded brussels sprouts, these are tender and sweet, and are consequently very popular in much of Asia. Choosing & Storing When buying regular or mature kailan, look for plants with the thinnest stems, as these will be the most tender. Baby kailan should look fresh, with no wilted outer leaves. Kailan keeps for several days refrigerated in a perforated plastic bag. Preparing When using mature kailan, trim off and discard all but 1 in (2½ cm) of the leaves, and discard the hardest part of the stem. Peel the central stem with a sharp knife, then cut into 2-3-in (5-8-cm) lengths. If the stem is thick, slice thinly lengthwise. The tip of the root end of baby kailan should be cut off, and if any of the outer leaves are slightly wilted or yellowing, discard these also. Cook whole. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties Kailan is high in iron, calcium and vitamin A. Culinary Uses Mature kailan stems are often blanched in boiling water until just tender, then served with a mixture of oyster sauce, a little sugar and fried garlic or crisp fried shallots. The stems are also good in stir-fried vegetable mixtures, adding a firm texture and bright green color. Baby kailan is usually stir-fried briefly, with a little chicken stock or water added during the frying process to keep it from burning, then splashed with oyster sauce and sprinkled with crisp fried garlic.

      Cucumber Shoots make an excellent vegetable, like the fruits of the cucumber plant itself. Throughout Asia, the leaves of many plants used as vegetables (root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and beetroots, as well as flowering vegetables such as chilies, snow peas and papayas) are not wasted. This is particularly true in rural areas, where people depend on their own vegetable crop rather than markets.

      Appearance & Flavor Cucumber shoots have a pale, dull green color, and consist of approximately 6-7 in (16-18 cm) of stem with young green leaves and a few curling tendrils. They have a pleasant, mild flavor which is usually accentuated with sauces or seasonings during cooking. Choosing & Storing Avoid any shoots that look limp. Wrapped in kitchen paper, the shoots can keep refrigerated for 3-4 days. Preparing Wash and drain the shoots, and cut off any hard parts of the stem. Cut across into 2-in (5-cm) lengths. Culinary Uses The shoots and leaves can be eaten blanched as part of a salad or cooked. In Thailand, the shoots are often blanched and served with a sauce containing fresh crabmeat, which is a particularly pleasing combination. Cucumber shoots are also often stir-fried briefly and seasoned with oyster sauce or soy sauce,

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