If you have ever seen a water caltrop, then you might be wondering exactly what it is. They are very peculiar-looking things, and their appearance alone is enough to put people off eating them.
They look like boomerangs or some kind of ninja weapon, but in reality, they are actually a type of nut.
Water Caltrops look very different from any other type of nut that exists, and due to this, a lot of people are unsure about eating them. After all, they do look like they could be very dangerous, and it can be difficult to know just how to eat them.
Water Caltrops aren’t like other nuts, before you can eat them you have to do some preparation. But you might not know where to begin.
In this guide, I’m telling you exactly how to prepare your Water Caltrop so that you can eat it. So, if you fancy giving this peculiar-looking nut a try, you are in the right place.
Keep on reading to find out how to cook your water caltrop.
What is Water Caltrop?
As I have said, Water Caltrop is a type of nut. When you first look at water caltrop, you likely wouldn’t expect it to be a nut because it looks so different from the other types of nuts that we have grown to love.
If you were to compare water caltrops with peanuts, for example, you would never think that they were part of the same family of food. But they are.
In Western culture, you might never have heard of water caltrop before. This is mainly because they aren’t that common in Western cuisine, but they are very popular in Asian culture.
In particular, water caltrop is commonly served in China for their Mid-Autumn Festival, and is often fed to children. But where does water caltrop come from?
Where does Water Caltrop come from?
It is clear that Water Caltrop is popular in Asian, and in particular Chinese, culture. This makes a lot of sense when you realize that water caltrop is actually grown in China.
It is a nut that is native to China, but it is also grown in other parts of Asia and Southern Europe. Water caltrop plants thrive in these areas as they have high temperatures, and large ponds of water for the Water Caltrop to grow on.
As water caltrop is primarily grown in China, it is understandable that this is the culture in which it is most commonly cooked and eaten. So, if you want to try cooking your own water caltrop, then it is best to follow a Chinese recipe.
To find out how to cook your water caltrop, keep on reading.
Ingredients: What You Need
The key to making cooking easy is being prepared before you get started. The best way to be prepared is to gather all your ingredients and equipment in advance.
This means that you do not have to run around the kitchen looking for things when you have already started cooking. To help you out, here’s a list of all the ingredients and equipment that you will need to cook your water caltrop.
Ingredients:
- 20 water caltrops
- 1 piece of whole star anise
- 1 tsp salt
Equipment:
- Small saucepan/pot
- Strainer
As you can see, you don’t really need that much to get started with cooking your water caltrops. So once you have gathered everything that you need to cook your water caltrop, you are ready to get started. Follow this recipe to make it as easy as possible.
Recipe: Step-by-Step Guide
After you have gathered everything that you need, you are ready to start cooking. The recipe for water caltrop is pretty easy to follow, but just to be safe, I would recommend reading it through before you start.
By reading the recipe through, you will be familiarizing yourself with it, and this will give you a better idea of what you are supposed to be doing, which will reduce the risk of anything going wrong. Once you have read the recipe through, you are ready to get started.
Step One: Prepare Your Water Caltrops
The first thing that you need to do is prepare your water caltrops for cooking. As water caltrops are nuts, the preparation that you need to do for them is very minimal. In fact, the only thing that you need to do before you begin cooking your water caltrops is wash them.
It is important to wash any fruit, vegetables, or legumes before you cook them to remove any germs or bacteria. So, before you begin cooking your water caltrops, give them a good rinse under cold water.
Step Two: Prepare Your Water
This recipe requires you to boil your water, caltrops. So, the next thing that you need to do is prepare your water for boiling. To do this, you should take your small saucepan, or pot, and fill it with enough water to completely submerge the water caltrops.
You can then place your pan on the hob on medium heat, and wait for the water to boil.
Step Three: Add Your Other Ingredients
When your water has come to a boil, you can then add your ingredients (water caltrops, star anise, and salt). You should then half cover the pan and leave the pan on medium heat for 30 minutes.
If you find that the water level begins to drop too low as the water caltrop cooks, then add some more boiled water to the pan.
Step Four: Enjoy
After 30 minutes, your water caltrop will be completely cooked. So, you should take the pan off the heat, and use your strainer to remove all the water. Leave your water caltrop to cool.
Once they have cooled, you can then use your teeth or a nutcracker to crack the shells and access the nuts. Then all that is left is to enjoy.
Summary
In short, this has been a quick and easy guide to boiling water caltrop ready to eat. So, if you want to try cooking your own water caltrop, follow this recipe to make it simple.
