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Water Caltrops


rasamalaysia

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caltrops1.jpg

I found these from the market here in CA; we used to eat them back in Malaysia during Chinese's Mid Autumn Festival.

Here is the excerpt of my post: Called water caltrops, these nut-like plants are in the same family as water chestnuts. Measuring about 2 inches in diameter, water caltrops are commonly referred to as "Bull's Horn" (菱角) due to their resemblance to--bull's horn...

Have you tried these before?

To read more, head over to http://www.rasamalaysia.com/2006/11/water-...rops.html#links

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Rasa Malaysia: http://www.rasamalaysia.com

Asian food and cooking recipes: http://www.rasamalaysia.com
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  • 2 weeks later...

My mom used to get them when I lived in NYC but I think they're a little hard to find outside of the larger asian market cities, on the East and West coast. I never knew what they were called though. They tasted very similar to water chestnuts but not quite as "juicy" if I remember right. Also we never used them for cooking- they were always steamed/boiled and eaten as is.

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Hi Freshherbs, yes, they do look trippy. When I was little, I was always scared when I saw them as they would show up whenever our family celebrated Mid Autumn Festival.

NRG00 - yes, they do taste like water chesnut but more "powdery." I don't see them much here in the west coast too, but once in a blue moon, I see them in the Asian markets here.

Asian food and cooking recipes: http://www.rasamalaysia.com
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Wow!!! I have ONE in my kitchen right now and was hoping to find out something about them! When I got it I asked the lady ringing me up if it was animal, plant or mineral. She spoke english well enough to be amused but wasn't able to offer any preparation tips.

So, should I do what I do to boil peanuts?

How do you know if they are good ones?

How do you um, open them?

Often I'll nibble on unfamiliar produce to get an idea of what to do with it but really had no idea how go approach this one :unsure: .

Any info would be appreciated.

eGullet is amazing!

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  • 1 month later...

Hello!

Wow! This is my very first post (I've been a "lurker" till now)!

I remember when I was really young my mother bought a big bag of these in Vancouver's Chinatown. I think she called them "elf's foot". She cooked them like boiled peanuts -- five-spice, soy sauce, and some other seasonings which I unfortunately can't remember (after all, I was really young!). I remember she had to simmer them for quite a few hours -- and it let off an incredibly pungent aroma -- sort of mushroomy. When they were ready to eat, we had to crack them open with a nutcracker (they're tough little beasts), and the stuff inside is sort of powdery, like a chestnut. That was the first time I had these, and I haven't had them since. Must see if I can find them here!

Cheers!

Beebs

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