Tag Archives: Lotus Root

CarolCooks2…Friday Food Reviews…#Edible Roots…Part 4…

Welcome to Friday Food Reviews, where I will cover a different food or product each week and look at… what they are.  where do they grow, what can we substitute them for in a recipe, and are they safe to eat, store, use, cook, or anything connected to that food? or product..all the why’s and the wherefores…it will, of course, be mainly my own opinion or a known fact…good or bad…there may even be a tried and tested recipe…or three… today I am looking at…Edible Roots…Part 4.

Like I did with the aromatic leaves I will not be featuring common ones but maybe ones we throw away without realising that they are a source of flavour for our food, to eat and cook with or to make tea…my aim is to feature three roots per post one of which may be new to you…as with all foods when you come across or try something new it may be edible but is it palatable to you... in these days of food, uncertainty I think it is important that we should properly try foraged foods and foods that are not at risk of shortages and see if they are palatable to us and be honest not fussy as we may have to change our eating habits to survive OR IN TRUTH FOOD THAT WE CAN AFFORD…Best be prepared…

Today I am featuring …2 roots that I use and 1 that I haven’t used yet…

Finger Root…

Milder than common ginger the finger root is a popular ingredient here and it does look like a bunch of fingers although its other known names are lesser galangal and Chinese ginger or Chinese keys here translated it is called “Krachai” and is used in some curries and certain fish dishes…

Finger Root is both a medicinal and culinary herb native to China and Southeast Asia…these finger-like rhizomes have an earthy, peppery, subtly sweet, herbaceous taste some say a medicinal taste…

Finger Root is antiviral by nature and as such very effective for tackling coughs and chest infections … Aston’s grandmother recommends chewing slices of fingerroot together with areca catechu nuts…remedies like these are still practised in the villages it does bring memories for me of the disgusting liquid my mother used to make me take for my cough as a child that was the liquid from onions and brown sugar I think it scared my cough away it was so disgusting …smile…

Lotus Root…

A plant that has so many uses most of which I discovered when we took a trip to the Red Lotus Lake/Sea that is close to our home…

If you go early in the morning it is a beautiful sight this beautiful sea/lake is approximately 8km long and 3km wide, the freshwater lake at Nong Han Kumphawapi is an important water source that sustains a variety of fish, birds, water buffaloes and plants. The lake feeds into the Lam Pao River, another waterway which plays a significant role for the inhabitants of Udon Thani province…although it is said that the flowers are a type of tropical water lily every part of it is used/eaten…the root is a popular food ingredient and it looks so attractive… Lotus root is rich in nutrients and has a lot of beneficial effects.

Mildy sweet in taste and with a texture that is similar to the water chestnut…crisp and crunchy…Lotus roots are usually sliced crosswise to reveal their attractive pattern of holes. They are traditionally added to soups and stews or simply stir-fried, as well as braised in soy sauce. They can also be thinly sliced and added raw to salads. Another favourite way of enjoying them is deep-fried into chips…

You may be able to find dried lotus root in Asian stores or online…to reconstitute simply soak, cut as desired, and add to vegetable dishes, soups, and stews. Use soaking water for tea or soup stock…it really is a good and nutritious root.

Burdock Root…

Native to Europe and Asia, several species have been widely introduced worldwide…Burdock root, also known as gobo, is popular in Asian dishes. It works very well in stir fries, braises, and soups. Burdock root can also be peeled, sliced and eaten raw as it comes or on a salad. It resembles a radish with a slight artichoke flavour when eaten this way.

Not a root I have eaten but it on my radar now as this stir looks delicious…Do use burdock root…

Thank you for joining me today for “Edible Roots” …How is your foraging going or your quest for edible roots at your local farmer’s markets?? as always I look forward to your comments x

The Culinary Alphabet…A-Z…The Middle Letter T…

Welcome to series 3 of the Culinary Alphabet A-Z…Where the middle letter is T…

So what’s in store? In this series the A, B, C, etc will be the middle letter, for example, Jarlsberg, Korma, Apple and Tursu a variety of Turkish pickled vegetables… how easy that will be who knows I am sure some of the letters of the alphabet could cause the grey matter to rebel or implode…haha…I also don’t want to use plurals to form a word as I may need that word for another letter and it’s sort of cheating I think…unless of course I really get stuck…which I am sure will happen…The Letter T is quite easy I have left some for Pete and Chel…Have fun guys Looking forward to what you come up with …

Today it is words where the middle letter is T.

Let’s go and see what I have found…

Autun Cheese…

I do love cheese and always love to try different cheeses although English Cheddar nicely matured is my all-time favourite…Christmas is when the cheeseboard comes out fully laden…Delicious…

This French cheese is a tall cylinder or cone of soft fresh cheese made with cow’s milk in summer, and a mixture of cow and goat’s milk in autumn … it’s recognisable by its greyish-blue mould rind…It is a fresh cheese or it may be matured for up to 2 weeks and has a rich, round flavour.

Batter…

Batter, comes in many forms it can be as thin and crispy as air or a little thicker like on good old British Fish and Chips which is often a beer batter…basically batter is a mixture of flour and liquid like water, milk or soda water/beer with other ingredients, such as leavening agents, shortening, sugar, salt, eggs, and various flavourings, used to make baked goods and other food products like coating fish, meat or vegetables…one of my favourites is the tempura batter that is comprised of cold water, flour, and a beaten egg. …less oil is also used to fry which means it is lovely and crispy and a little healthier…

Bortsch…

Borscht is a sour soup common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia…generally associated with beets and recognised by the classic beet red colour the Bortch that I first tried was made by my Russian neighbour with pork and very nice it was with horseradish and of course with the addition of lots of Russian vodkas to wash it down…Hic!

Batch Cooking…

I have batch cooked for years…it is a lifesaver and a big plus particularly if you lead a busy life as you will always have a ready meal and all you have to do is thaw and heat it up…

It is also a boon if you are cooking for one as you can make a regular portion for 4 people and then freeze three again

Betel Leaf…

Betel leaf is a great source of antioxidant that fights oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals. Betel leaf juice provides relief from internal pains in the body. Betel leaves are a powerhouse of antioxidants that clear radicals from the body. It restores normal PH levels in the body and helps an upset stomach. Ayurveda medicine widely recommends eating betel leaves for relief from constipation.

Bitters…

Bitters are to cocktails like salt is to seasoning your food…Bitters are made from botanicals, like aromatic herbs, bark, roots, and fruit. These ingredients are infused into a flavourless alcohol base to create a potent flavouring…

Chutney…

Ahhhhh no Indian curry is complete without mango chutney which reminds me I need to make some more Mango Chutney...there must be hundreds of different chutneys around the world…chutney can be dry, wet, freshly made or preserved like my mango chutney they enhance a dish and compliment the flavours…

Cottage  Cheese…

Cottage cheese is a mild flavoured fresh cheese curd to which other ingredients can be added like chives, pineapple, prawns…it is lovely with some fresh mixed fruits for a light lunch…a topping for a jacket potato…

Cottage cheese has long been a favourite among athletes and people trying to watch their weight. Mild and fresh, it’s made from curdled milk. After draining, the curds are washed to remove residual acids, giving cottage cheese a sweeter taste.

Custard…

Apple pie and custard…the thing that dreams are made of…just saying…but what is custard it is a sauce made with milk, sugar and egg yolks to thicken it…although custard is mainly used as a dessert, or as a base for a dessert, or as a dessert sauce. Custard can also be savoury. Quiche is an example of a savoury custard baked in a pie crust. And believe it or not, a frittata is a savoury custard that’s cooked directly in a deep skillet. For the recipe for the pictured frittata please click here

My favourite baked custard is a creme brulee…if I am eating out that is my favourite go-to dessert…I also love a custard tart with a sprinkling of nutmeg…wonderful…I’m hungry now …lol

Dates…

Eaten as a snack they are energy-rich and satisfying…I always have a pack of dates handy…the fruit of the date palm tree, which is grown in many tropical regions of the world. Dates have become quite popular in recent years.

They are an excellent natural sweetener …a source of fructose, which is a natural type of sugar found in fruit.

For this reason, dates are very sweet and also have a subtle caramel-like taste. They make a great healthy substitute for white sugar in recipes due to the nutrients, fibre and antioxidants that they provide…The best way to substitute dates for white sugar is to make date paste, which is made by mixing dates with water in a blender. A rule of thumb is to replace sugar with date paste at a 1:1 ratio.

For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, you’ll replace it with 1 cup of date paste.

Date paste is also lovely on some homemade brown bread…

Date Paste:

Approx 2 cups of pitted Medjool dates about 24 dates.
3/4 to1 and 1/4 cups almond/cashew milk or water if using the paste for a recipe.
A pinch of sea salt.
1 tsp of vanilla extract.
Before blending the dates soak them in hot water for about 30 minutes you can then start
blending add the drained dates to the blender and add 3/4 of your chosen milk and blend add
the remainder of the milk until you ger the required consistency.
You may need to shake or scrape the blender down as you go to achieve a smooth paste…
How easy is that?…

It is important to note that although dates are high in fibre and nutrients, they are still fairly high in calories and best consumed in moderation.

Geitost…or Gjetost .

Is a Norweigan brown cheese…This unique Norwegian brown cheese is also known as Brunost, which is simply Norwegian for Brown Cheese…It is also said to be popular in South Korea…

Gjetost is often sliced and served on toast for breakfast. Gjetost is also great for breakfast because it’s a cheese that pairs well with coffee. It travels well and is a good cheese to keep in your pocket while skiing or taking on road trips and camping trips.

Brown cheeses are made with concentrated whey and get their colour from the caramelization of the sugars in the milk during the cheese-making process.

Latke…

A latke is a type of potato pancake or fritters in Jewish cuisine that is traditionally prepared to celebrate Hanukkah. Latkes can be made with ingredients other than potatoes including cheese and zucchini or even coconut which I first saw over at KoolKosherKitchen made by Dolly who is definitely more of an expert on these delicious morsels than I am so please head over and have a read…

Latte…

Latte is a coffee drink of Italian origin…loved and drank around the world…served hot or as an iced latte which is most delicious on a hot day.

Lettuce…

Lettuce comes in a range of varieties – with flavours from buttery and mild to nutty and even slightly bitter; textures from delicate to crunchy; and colours from pale to dark green and burgundy.

With all these choices, even the most ardent veggie-phobes or demanding foodies will find some lettuce to love…What is your favourite lettuce?

Lotus Root…

Very popular in Asian cuisine this root is found sunk into the mud of a pond or river bottom, lotus root is actually the stem of the plant. Growing as long as four feet, the stems rises out of the water and ends in the elegant red flowers that are so revered in Buddhist and Hindu cultures…

Whether it’s stir-fried, boiled, braised, steamed, or deep-fried, lotus root remains crisp yet tender, with a creamy and starchy texture that’s similar to taro root. Lotus seeds can be boiled and added to dessert soups or ground to make lotus seed paste, a common ingredient in sweets like mooncakes and daifuku. Though not as widely available, even the petals and leaves of the lotus plant are edible.

Martini Espresso…

Martini Espresso is not a true Martini as it contains neither gin or vermouth…A true Martini can be shaken or stirred in true James Bond-style or served as a dirty martini …”Dirty” simply refers to the addition of olive juice or brine. It’s a classic cocktail that is very easy to mix up and one of the most popular variations on the original gin martini. You can make this drink as dirty as you like by pouring the olive juice to suit your taste…

Mustard…

Mustard is one of my favourite condiments particularly English Mustard… made from the seeds of a mustard plant. The whole, ground, cracked, or bruised mustard seeds are mixed with water, vinegar, lemon juice, wine, or other liquids, salt, and often other flavourings and spices, to create a paste or sauce ranging in colour from bright yellow to dark brown.

Pigs Trotter…

Pigs trotters were one of my fathers favourite winter casseroles…A pig’s trotter, also known as a pettitoe, or sometimes known as a pig’s foot, is the culinary term for the foot of a pig. The cuts are used in various dishes around the world and it seems they have experienced a resurgence in the late 2000s…

Pickled pigs feet is a type of pork associated with the cuisines of the Southern United States, Mexican, Chinese, Italian, and Scandinavian cuisine. The feet of domestic pigs are typically salted and smoked in the same manner as other pork cuts, such as hams and bacon.

Pitta Bread…

Pita or pitta is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and neighbouring areas…but what make pitta bread different to other flatbreads like Naan bread?

Pitta bread usually has yeast, sugar, flour, salt, and olive oil, while Naan bread has many of those ingredients plus eggs, butter, and yoghurt. It is the difference in ingredients that gives them both their unique taste and texture.

Pretzel…

A pretzel is a type of baked pastry made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot…According to historians, the pretzel is the oldest snack food known dating around 610 A.D. in the region between the south of France and northern Italy.

Legend also traces the pretzel to medieval Europe, where Italian monks reportedly created treats to reward schoolchildren by baking dough with arms shaped in prayer. The tradition spread through Europe, and pretzels became associated with good luck and eternal love.

Sultana Grape…

Sultanas are made from seedless green grapes…Raisins and sultanas are quite similar…Raisins are however made from a range of grape varieties. They are dried naturally and are usually slightly darker and larger than the sultana…

Tater Tots…

Tater tots are grated potatoes, seasoned and formed into small cylinders and deep-fried, often served as a side dish…they are also a registered trademark and I did wonder whether or not to include them but they are delicious small bites especially when homemade.

Tostada…

A flat or bowl-shaped fried corn tortilla topped with refried beans, or guacamole and topped with vegetables and other ingredients.

Whiting…

This fish inhabits the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the North Sea on the East Coast of Britain. In the United States, it is commonly known as the English whiting. Whiting is a white-fleshed sea fish, they are a small member of the cod family and have a very similar flavour. As whiting are less well known they are a more economical alternative to buy than cod and are more sustainable.

As a side note, I love eating fish and would be happy to eat fish every day…However, because of some dubious fishing practices and sustainability plus some fish is very high in mercury I know I have to be aware and check before I buy fish and from where…This link is quite informative

Thank you for joining me today… T was quite easy… I have saved quite a few for Pete Springer who always contributes…Thank you, Pete… and Chel it seems is back on the blogging scene after having another sweet baby boy so maybe she will have some thoughts between sleeping and the feeding of little bubba …no pressure of course x

Chel did however provide me with a few great ideas for when this series has finished…Thank you, Chel much appreciated xx…I was hoping to make this post a lot more festive but it didn’t lend itself to much that was festive…

Until tomorrow..stay safe and laugh a lot…Thank you for joining me I look forward to your comments as always xx

 

Tropical Friday… The Lotus Root…

 

Welcome to the slightly different fruity Friday…It’s Tropical Friday and today’s incredible #veggie is the Lotus Root…

A very popular vegetable through Thailand, China and the rest of Asia…I often see it drying outside houses as I walk to market the sun is so hot here we don’t need a dehydrator…

It is also a regular sight fresh on the local markets…

Mild tasting with a pleasant slightly sweet taste eaten raw in a salad it is crunchy like celery…when cooked in a soup or stew it becomes softer but still retains a bite like a just cooked potato…it also lends itself to stir-frying, steaming to boiling a versatile vegetable.

It is also low in calories and high in fibre which is always a plus.

Traditional Medicine:

Dried and ground it is used in traditional medicine to soothe the stomach…even when temperatures rise the lotus maintains a precise temperature which is maybe why the Chinese refer to the lotus root as ” a cooling food” it is consumed to maintain the balance of the body.

About 15km from my home is The Red Lotus Sea(Lake)

A beautiful place with lots of birds and plants, water buffaloes graze on the small outcrops it is peaceful and it even had a tiny Buddist temple where some monks lived and prayed…so very beautiful to see all the images from our first visit please click the link.

The Red Lotus Sea( Lake) is where we first saw and learnt about this beautiful flower/vegetable and its properties and meaning. The lotus root is actually the stem of the plant and grows as long as 4ft…the stems arise from the water and are topped by the most beautiful of flowers which are highly revered in the Buddhist and Hindu cultures.

We were also allowed to pick a couple of the Lotus seed heads

lotus flower-seed pod

the lotus flower seed pod…The seeds are edible

Lotus Seeds which we learnt were edible and used when dried and ground in the making of moon cakes to read more please click the link above…

The lotus flower certainly provides much…now for how to cook with it…

If you have dried lotus then dried lotus roots must be soaked before using. Reconstituted lotus roots can be sliced thin for stir-frying or sliced into half-inch pieces for Chinese soups and stews. Boiled in sugar, lotus root makes a popular dessert. They are somewhat similar to a potato in texture and flavour.

Fresh lotus root once peeled must be soaked in vinegar or a water and salt solution to stop discolouration …when stir-frying it pairs well with sugar snap or snow peas, asparagus or celery.

Pork and lotus Root Stir Fry:

  • 8 oz lotus root
  • 8 oz loin or fillet of pork
  • 1 tbsp of soy sauce
  • I tbsp Oyster sauce
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1inch piece fresh ginger minced
  • 1 red chilli sliced
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 5 green onions cut into 2 in pieces
  • 1 tbsp canola oil

Let’s Cook!

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the lotus root slices for about 2 mins then drain well. In Chinese, this process is called Duan Sheng/断生 meaning “break the rawness”.

Season the pork with salt and pepper then heat the oil in a pan and cook the pork you may need to cook in two batches once cooked remove the pork from the pan and add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds then raise the heat and add the chilli, rice wine and honey cook until thickened slightly add the lotus roots and cook  2 mins and then add the pork and cook for I min then add the green onions cook 1 min …Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary… It’s now ready to serve.

I served this with roasted broccoli with parmesan and breadcrumbs and rice.

Did you know?

It can also be pickled…those who know me just know how happy that makes me…

Lotus roots pickled in vinegar” go with sweet wine, sake. It is the King of Japanese food. The drinker drinks several cups with it.

And if you love anything pink then just add a slice or two of beetroot to the pickling vinegar and watch it turn pink…

You should be able to find lotus root in most Chinese or Asian stores. They are sold fresh or in vacuum plastic bags and sometimes dried.

Thank you for joining me today I hope you have enjoyed learning about the lotus root or maybe you are familiar with it and cook with it already.

Until tomorrow when I will be back with Saturday Snippets …x

The Culinary Alphabet with a little twist…Food terms ending in the letter T(chestnuT)

Good morning everyone and Pete… time for another post which is this crazy idea from one of my fellow scribes …but food fun…this week its food that ends with the letter T…this letter is similar to S in so much that you can find many words ending in nut, beet, root, plant, fruit …Which meant I could choose many words so I have tried to find foods which don’t have the addition of those words but are a fruit, vegetable or term in their own right although there are some exceptions…all good fun once again!

Arhat:

A fruit native to Southern China and here in Northern Thailand…named after the Buddhist monks who first cultivated the fruit centuries ago it is also known as Monk Fruit or Buddha Fruit.

Arrowroot :

Arrowroot powder is a versatile ingredient and often used in gluten-free recipes. Arrowroot powder is extracted using simpler, more traditional methods, without the use of high heat or harsh chemicals, unlike cornflour.

Gaining in popularity in the Western world as a thickener… people are looking for substitutes and alternatives to cornstarch, either due to corn allergies and sensitivities or to avoid anything GMO and pesticide-laden.

Not only a thickener it can also be used in baking…blended with other flours for desserts and baking bread…arrowroot mixed with dried herbs can be used as a coating to your fried chicken.

Just be aware that you cannot substitute it on a 1:1 ratio..think gloopy mess trust me I know x…If replacing cornstarch start with a 1/3-1/2 ratio until you get your desired consistency.

Blackcurrant:

I have happy memories of picking blackcurrants with my grandma for her jam making and the purple fingers and mouth she used to tell me I ate more than I picked. Something I can’t get here even dried not sure why that is…The blackcurrant is packed with vitamin C and I envy anyone who has bushes in their garden…I can remember the taste and that little pop of sour…

Carrot:

An orange root vegetable although it does come in other colours purple(my fav), black, yellow, white and red it is instantly recognisable I would think…That crunchy, tasty highly nutritious vegetable is a staple in my kitchen it can be boiled, steamed, roasted made into soups, added to sets and casseroles, slaws are just eaten raw with hummus and don’t forget carrot cake …heaven… my daughter had a carrot cake as her wedding cake in Jamacia…not your ordinary carrot cake slightly more decorative and sumptuous…

Carrots are a particularly good source of beta carotene, fibre, vitamin K1, potassium, and antioxidants. They also have a number of health benefits the perfect health food…

Candlenut:

I have heard of candlenut but know little to none about it…Difficult to establish where the Candlenut is native to due to it being quite early on distributed throughout the new and old world tropics…it has quite a varied past and many names around Asia…Wikipedia

Chaat:

Chaat or chat is a savoury snack that originated in India, typically served at roadside tracks from stalls or food carts across the Indian subcontinent in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

Chestnut:

Roasted chestnuts I have early memories of chestnuts being roasted in the embers of the fire or on bonfire night in the ashes…later in life when I was taken to London by my aunt and Uncle it was a treat to buy them from the kerbside vendors…indeed they can also be found roasted in a similar way here…it is only as I have become more of an experimental cook that I have used chestnuts in my cooking.

Is it a fruit or a nut?

Botanically, most nuts are the seeds of a fruit, while true nuts — such as chestnuts, acorns, and hazelnuts — are fruits in and of themselves.

My favourite chestnut is the water chestnut…the one you find in Chinese dishes that lovely crisp bite they don’t have a hard shell-like the chestnuts of my childhood but a soft black skin…

Healthwise…they can be eaten: boiled, roasted, and dried, or in the form of jam, flour, soups, in pasta dishes, in cakes and desserts… They are also excellent sources of vitamins and minerals (such as manganese, molybdenum, copper and magnesium).

Of course, there were also the fruits of the horse chestnut...Who remembers playing conkers as a kid…it was such fun until the health and safety brigade got involved…I mean I have had few black eyes from a conker but it never killed me and now…I’m not even going to get started…

Confit:

Seems to be quite fashionable now especially on TV cookery shows…Confit is any type of food that is cooked slowly over a long period of time as a method of preservation. Confit is a cooking term to describe food cooked in grease, oil or sugar water, at a lower temperature, as opposed to deep-frying.

Eggplant:

Eggplants, aubergines or brinjal are all one and the same depending on where in the world you hail from…a low-calorie vegetable which provides a range of nutrients and fibre…very popular in the Meditteranean and also in Asia…

Here in Thailand eggplants are used in curries, dips, eaten raw my favourite are those little purple ones eaten raw…or the big, purple glossy one can be grilled with parmesan, made into a moussaka, or sliced and layered into a lasagne…one of my favourite ways is brined with cabbage…

Pak Dong…Is Thai pickled cabbage which comes in many forms from just cabbage or cabbage and green onions this version has added small yellow eggplants…

Ingredients:

  • 1 white cabbage. cut or torn into pieces.
  • 8 large spring onions chopped
  • 12-15 sm yellow eggplants halved
  • Coarse Salt.

Let’s Pickle:

Layer Cabbage, Onions, eggplants and salt in the dish add a little water. Mix it all together with your hands.

We then leave the dish covered on the kitchen top or in the sun for 1 day.

Pickled cabbage with egg plants

Then drain and lightly rinse and add more salt if required. Cover and leave for 2/3 days or until it reaches your ideal taste. With pickled cabbage, it is purely down to personal taste some like it saltier or sour more than others. Just play with it and you will soon discover your ideal version.

My daughter in law who is Thai doesn’t like it as sour as we do… she doesn’t like the Winegar taste as she puts it… Once it reaches your required taste it is ready to eat.

This recipe is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Kumquat:

A kumquat is an edible, orange-like fruit that is native to Southeast Asia. Though the citrus fruit resembles an orange in shape and colour, it’s actually quite small—about the size of an olive. Typically, kumquats are round or oblong.

Kurrat:

Kurrat, or Egyptian leek (Arabic: كراث‎), is grown in the Middle East for its leaves. It is closely related to elephant garlic and leeks and is generally regarded as being in the same species, though it is also commonly listed as Allium kurrat.

Kurrat is a very popular vegetable in Egypt and other Mediterranean countries. Kurrat was found in an Egyptian tomb and has been cultivated for at least 2000 years ago.

Lotus Root:

A popular vegetable in Asia…Lotus roots are usually sliced crosswise to reveal their attractive pattern of holes. They are traditionally added to soups and stews or simply stir-fried, as well as braised in soy sauce. They can also be thinly sliced and added raw to salads. Another favourite way of enjoying them is deep-fried into chips.

Loquat:

What is the difference between a Kumquat and a Loquat? Loquats are in the Rosaceae family the same as apples, pears, peaches and nectarines. Kumquats are a citrus fruit — think of them as the small, tart cousins to the more popular sweet orange. … Both are little orange-coloured oval fruits…

The Loquat is native to China …the seeds, and leaves are packed with powerful plant compounds and have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years.

Mangetout:

Flat pea pods are also known as snow peas or sugar peas…eaten whole either in stir-fries or curries they are picked while very young …a good source of B1 (thiamin) and folic acid. And because you eat the whole pod, mange tout is a greater source of the antioxidant vitamins A and C than ordinary peas. They are also an excellent source of dietary fibre.

Cons: Overcooking will deplete the nutritional value.

Pluot:

A fruit name I wasn’t familiar with…it is a hybrid fruit…Plumcots…are 50-50 crosses between plums and apricots a Pluot is more plum than apricot and has a smooth skin.

Rocket:

Rocker or Arugula is a leafy vegetable known for its fresh, tart and peppery taste…of Meditteranean origin, it is a low growing annual herb. Fresh salad rocket is one of the greens rich in folates. 100 g of fresh greens contain 97 µg or 24% of folic acid.

Salt:

Often the subject of discussion and portrayed as the villain and that which we should restrict in our diets BUT we can’t live without salt…salt is actually an important nutrient for the human body. Your body uses salt to balance fluids in the blood and maintain healthy blood pressure, and it is also essential for nerve and muscle function.

Salt is also an essential ingredient in cooking…

Salt is also a whole post…in the meantime here is one of Sally’s posts on Salt and as always interesting and factual…

Sculpit:

Is an Italian green often called stridolo, it has long, thin lance-like leaves that can be chopped and added to egg dishes, risotto, salads, soups, and even pizza.

Yeast:

Yeast is a single-celled fungus. … It takes 20,000,000,000 (twenty billion) yeast cells to weigh one gram, or 1/28 of an ounce, of cake yeast. A tiny organism with a long name. The scientific name for the yeast that baker’s use is Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, or “sugar-eating fungus”. A very long name for such a tiny organism ..an essential ingredient in baked goods and bread…

That’s all for today I hope you have found something interesting and unknown…I hope Pete can oblige with something I haven’t mentioned ending in T…I am so kind to Pete…haha..x

Next week it will be culinary terms ending in the letter U…Yuzu…

Stay safe, have fun and laugh a lot as you know what I am going to say it is free and proven to be good for your health…..Laughter aside…My thoughts and prayers are with all the people who have been or will be touched by this Covid-19 virus…the new lockdowns and restrictions..stay safe be aware and social isolate where required and we will beat this thing…xx

Thank you so much for your visit today I hope you have enjoyed the read…Please feel free to leave a comment as you know I love to chat…Love Carol xxx