• Water chestnuts (Eleocharis dulcis) are aquatic vegetables, not nuts. • They grow underwater in marshes and muddy ponds, mainly in China, Thailand, and India. • The edible part is the corm (a bulb-like stem), which has a crisp, juicy texture even after cooking.
⸻
🧊 Appearance & Taste • Raw: Crunchy, white inside, slightly sweet, and very juicy. • Cooked: Stays crisp even when stir-fried, boiled, or steamed — unlike most vegetables. • Taste: Mild, fresh, a little nutty or apple-like.
⸻
🍳 Common Uses in Chinese Cooking
Water chestnuts are prized for their texture — that famous crunch called “脆” (cuì).
You’ll often find them in: • 🥘 Chicken with cashew nuts or kung pao dishes • 🍤 Prawn or chicken stir-fries with mixed vegetables • 🥟 Spring rolls and dumplings (for crunch) • 🍢 Sweet dishes like water chestnut cake (马蹄糕 mǎ tí gāo) at dim sum • 🥗 Salads or cold appetisers
Tip: Rinse canned water chestnuts before using to remove the brine taste.
⸻
🥢 How to Cook • Add them near the end of cooking so they keep their crispness. • Great in wok dishes — just 2–3 minutes of stir-frying is enough. • Can also be diced finely to bulk out minced meat fillings.
⸻
💪 Health Benefits • Low in calories and fat. • Rich in fibre, vitamin B6, potassium, and antioxidants. • Contains ferulic acid, which helps prevent oxidation — that’s why they stay white and crunchy.
⸻
🧊 Storage • Fresh: Keep unpeeled in the fridge for up to 1 week. • Canned: Store unopened at room temperature; refrigerate once opened and use within 3 days.
🥢 Chicken & Cashew Nut Stir-Fry with Water Chestnuts
🍗 Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
For the chicken: • 250 g chicken breast (thinly sliced) • 1 tsp light soy sauce • ½ tsp sesame oil • 1 tsp cornflour • Pinch of white pepper
For the stir-fry: • 2 tbsp oil (vegetable or groundnut) • 1 small onion (cut into wedges) • ½ red pepper (chunked) • ½ green pepper (chunked) • 4–5 water chestnuts (fresh or canned, sliced) • 2 tbsp roasted cashew nuts • 1 clove garlic (crushed) • 1 spring onion (cut into 1-inch pieces)
For the sauce: • 2 tbsp oyster sauce • 1 tbsp light soy sauce • 1 tsp dark soy sauce • 1 tsp sugar • 1 tsp cornflour • 3 tbsp water or chicken stock
⸻
🔪 Method 1. Marinate the chicken Mix the sliced chicken with soy sauce, sesame oil, cornflour, and pepper. Leave for 10 minutes. 2. Prepare the sauce In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce, soy sauces, sugar, cornflour, and water. Set aside. 3. Heat your wok Get it smoking hot, then add oil. 4. Cook the chicken Add the chicken and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until almost cooked through. Remove and set aside. 5. Stir-fry the veg Add onion, peppers, and garlic. Stir-fry 1 minute. 6. Add water chestnuts Toss in the sliced water chestnuts and spring onion. Stir for 30 seconds — they should stay crunchy. 7. Combine everything Return chicken to the wok. Pour in the sauce, stir until thick and glossy (about 1 minute). 8. Finish with cashew nuts Stir through just before serving so they stay crisp.
⸻
🍚 Serve with: • Steamed jasmine rice • Or fried rice for a proper takeaway feel
⸻
🔥 Tips • Add a dash of Shaoxing wine just before the sauce for authentic Chinese aroma. • You can swap chicken for prawns, beef, or tofu — water chestnuts pair beautifully with all. • Always keep the heat high so the sauce coats the food without going soggy.
Mrchang
🧑🍳🤔🌿 What Are Water Chestnuts?
• Water chestnuts (Eleocharis dulcis) are aquatic vegetables, not nuts.
• They grow underwater in marshes and muddy ponds, mainly in China, Thailand, and India.
• The edible part is the corm (a bulb-like stem), which has a crisp, juicy texture even after cooking.
⸻
🧊 Appearance & Taste
• Raw: Crunchy, white inside, slightly sweet, and very juicy.
• Cooked: Stays crisp even when stir-fried, boiled, or steamed — unlike most vegetables.
• Taste: Mild, fresh, a little nutty or apple-like.
⸻
🍳 Common Uses in Chinese Cooking
Water chestnuts are prized for their texture — that famous crunch called “脆” (cuì).
You’ll often find them in:
• 🥘 Chicken with cashew nuts or kung pao dishes
• 🍤 Prawn or chicken stir-fries with mixed vegetables
• 🥟 Spring rolls and dumplings (for crunch)
• 🍢 Sweet dishes like water chestnut cake (马蹄糕 mǎ tí gāo) at dim sum
• 🥗 Salads or cold appetisers
Tip: Rinse canned water chestnuts before using to remove the brine taste.
⸻
🥢 How to Cook
• Add them near the end of cooking so they keep their crispness.
• Great in wok dishes — just 2–3 minutes of stir-frying is enough.
• Can also be diced finely to bulk out minced meat fillings.
⸻
💪 Health Benefits
• Low in calories and fat.
• Rich in fibre, vitamin B6, potassium, and antioxidants.
• Contains ferulic acid, which helps prevent oxidation — that’s why they stay white and crunchy.
⸻
🧊 Storage
• Fresh: Keep unpeeled in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Canned: Store unopened at room temperature; refrigerate once opened and use within 3 days.
🥢 Chicken & Cashew Nut Stir-Fry with Water Chestnuts
🍗 Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
For the chicken:
• 250 g chicken breast (thinly sliced)
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp cornflour
• Pinch of white pepper
For the stir-fry:
• 2 tbsp oil (vegetable or groundnut)
• 1 small onion (cut into wedges)
• ½ red pepper (chunked)
• ½ green pepper (chunked)
• 4–5 water chestnuts (fresh or canned, sliced)
• 2 tbsp roasted cashew nuts
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 1 spring onion (cut into 1-inch pieces)
For the sauce:
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 3 tbsp water or chicken stock
⸻
🔪 Method
1. Marinate the chicken
Mix the sliced chicken with soy sauce, sesame oil, cornflour, and pepper. Leave for 10 minutes.
2. Prepare the sauce
In a small bowl, stir together the oyster sauce, soy sauces, sugar, cornflour, and water. Set aside.
3. Heat your wok
Get it smoking hot, then add oil.
4. Cook the chicken
Add the chicken and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until almost cooked through. Remove and set aside.
5. Stir-fry the veg
Add onion, peppers, and garlic. Stir-fry 1 minute.
6. Add water chestnuts
Toss in the sliced water chestnuts and spring onion. Stir for 30 seconds — they should stay crunchy.
7. Combine everything
Return chicken to the wok. Pour in the sauce, stir until thick and glossy (about 1 minute).
8. Finish with cashew nuts
Stir through just before serving so they stay crisp.
⸻
🍚 Serve with:
• Steamed jasmine rice
• Or fried rice for a proper takeaway feel
⸻
🔥 Tips
• Add a dash of Shaoxing wine just before the sauce for authentic Chinese aroma.
• You can swap chicken for prawns, beef, or tofu — water chestnuts pair beautifully with all.
• Always keep the heat high so the sauce coats the food without going soggy.
#waterchestnuts
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