Arrowheads and Water Chestnuts

I know you know what water chestnuts are; they come in  small cans, sliced, quartered or whole. water 1After passing them up for years, I recently picked up some fresh ones at 99 Ranch Market. After fumbling my way through peeling them I just boiled them simply. Wow, much more flavor then what I grew up eating as the crunchy mystery vegetable in my cashew chicken.  When I found this video, I realized I wasn’t missing anything in regards to peeling them, such as blanching or something; you just get after it.  I did find that nipping the tops off and boiling with most of the skin on produced a flavor closer to artichoke.  That flavor was extremely exciting for me since before that, water chestnut flavor was empty.  Added them to salads that were heavy with fresh peas and strawberries.  water 2

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Arrowheads be cray. Very surprised these aren’t common and popular. Steamed or boiled they are a starchier sweet potato/parsnip.  Fried, they are light and wonderfully crisp.  Not only are they tasty, but they grow easily, peel easily and cook easily. (Bullet point of this presentation…they’re easy.) Shaved straight into a fryer, they easily crisp and brown to potato chip perfection. Perfection if you love Pringles…cause they taste just like friggin’ Pringles.  Also known as a Duck Potato, Wapato or Katniss.  Yes Katniss, like the heroine from the moving pictures.