Vegetables in Vietnam

BAMBOO SHOOTS

The flavour can be compared to the artichoke. Bamboo can be purchased whole or shredded. If you buy it shredded, it should be well washed before cooking. Fresh bamboo should be boiled in enough water to cover, 10 to 15 minutes and then drained. Bamboo retains its crispness despite cooking. Suggested uses: As a salad, follow a recipe for coleslaw, substituting cooked shredded bamboo for cabbage. Add raw bamboo to diced fresh pork or bacon which has been sauteed with chopped onion. Add soup stock and boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Thicken remaining liquid if desired and season to taste. As a relish, add thinly sliced onions or mild or hot peppers to the cooked bamboo and marinate in French dressing for 3 to 4 hours. As a canape, dip slices of cooked bamboo in egg and bread crumbs and fry.

BEAN SPROUTS

There are two varieties in Vietnam. The one made from the soybean is larger and usually cheaper than the sprout made from the mung bean. They can be purchased at various stages of growth, or you can sprout them at home. They are frequently used in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, but are also good blanched and served as a salad.

BITTERMELON

The vegetable looks like a shiny, green, wrinkled cucumber. It is available during the summer months. It is excellent in soups or combined with meat, poultry or seafood. To prepare, cut in half length-wise and scoop out pulp and seeds. Slice and parboil for 3 minutes to remove quinine taste.

BREADFRUIT

There are many varieties. One kind contains seeds somewhat like chestnuts, most others are used only for their flesh. Breadfruit is available throughout the year. It can be sliced, dried and ground into flour; used as a foundation for curry; cooked as a canape or used as a potato substitute.

CASSAVA

This vegetable is an Eastern staple known as manioc. There are two varieties, bitter and sweet. The peel of the bitter cassava contains a poisonous juice of prussic acid. Fortunately, this is removed by high heat, so always cook the vegetable, peeled or unpeeled, in water over a high flame. To obtain the meal, the tubers should be washed, peeled and grated. Then the juice is pressed out and the meal dried. The cassava root can be used in any recipe for potatoes.

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