Water chestnuts– these vegetables possess a great crunch, but for whatever reason I wasn’t much of a fan as a kid. It might be because I liken the taste to adding salty water to sweetened soil.
Also, I never liked (and still don’t like) Americanized Chinese food, except for the mustard packets and egg rolls, in that order. Still, 荸荠 bíqí or 馬/马蹄 mǎtí, the latter of which also meaning horseshoe, earned my respect when I lived in China, since they #1 made for a good snack on the run, and #2 probably weren’t made of recycled endangered species pretending to be something else. Oh, and here’s the unfortunate bit about being literate: apparently, raw water chestnuts can contain parasites. Aren’t you just counting the reasons to live abroad?
I’ve noted in previous posts that I don’t like getting drinks with added sugar. However, if there’s a stand-out that isn’t likely as easily found in New York, or I’m already reeling from the effects of lunch’s “cooking oil soup,” what’s the harm? Enter 馬蹄水 mǎtíshuǐ, or water chestnut… water, a carb-filled feast that’s neither refreshing nor imaginary. It was exactly as you’d expect, but not as fibrous. You can be thankful that there aren’t any unsavory consequences after drinking a can.
Fan of water chestnuts? Why?
Collateral Lettuce 