Winter recipes with water chestnuts: Add these to the menu for your share of flavour, wellness

Ingredients

For Black Pepper Sauce

• Chopped green chilli, 5 gm


• Chopped garlic, 5 gm


• Chopped ginger, 5 gm


• Chopped onion, 15 gm


• Chopped coriander root, 3 gm


• Crushed black pepper, 3 gm


• Oyster sauce, 10 gm


• Light soy sauce, 10 ml


• Dark soy sauce, 5 ml


• Salt, 2 gm


• Sugar, 3 gm


• Broth powder, 3 gm


• Sesame oil, 3 ml


• Unsalted butter, 8 gm


• Cooking wine, 5 ml


• Oil, 10 ml


• Butter (unsalted), 25 gm


• Water chestnut, 150 gm


• Corn flour, 20 gm


• Oil Sunflower, For frying

• Heat oil in a wok. Add ginger and garlic stir until lightly brown.


• Add green chili and crushed black pepper stir well.


• Add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce mix all.


• Add salt, sugar, broth powder cook for 1-2 minutes.


• Keep a frying pan ready with temp 180c and on another bowl take sliced chestnut and tossed with corn flour.


• Fry till golden color & toss with black pepper sauce.


• Serve hot with freshly chopped Spring onion .

Water Chestnut, Mushrooms and Asparagus Gyoza 

By Vikas Singh, Executive Chef, The Westin Mumbai Garden City

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• Fresh asparagus (finely chopped), 150 gm


• Water chestnuts (finely chopped) (canned or fresh), 200 gm


• Mushrooms (finely chopped) (shiitake, cremini, or button mushrooms), 200 gm


• Green onions (finely chopped), 2 (about 30 g)


• Soy sauce, 15 ml (1 tablespoon)


• Sesame oil, 15 ml (1 tablespoon)


• Ginger, minced (about 1 teaspoon), 5 gm


• Clove garlic (minced), 1


• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 package gyoza wrappers, (usually about 250 gm)


• Vegetable oil, for frying


• Water, for steaming.

• Prepare the filling: In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped asparagus, water chestnuts, mushrooms, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well until everything is evenly combined.


• Fill the gyoza: Take a gyoza wrapper and place about 15 g of filling in the center. Moisten the edges of the wrapper with a little water, fold it in half, and pinch the edges to seal. You can create pleats for a decorative touch if you like. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.


• Cook the Gyoza:


• Pan-fry: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add a bit of vegetable oil. Place the gyoza in the skillet, making sure they don’t touch. Fry for about 2-3 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown.


• Steam: Add about 60 ml of water to the skillet (about 1/4 cup) and cover immediately with a lid. Allow the gyoza to steam for about 5-7 minutes or until the water has evaporated.


• Serve: Remove the gyoza from the skillet and serve hot with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a sprinkle of chili oil or sesame oil.


• Chef's tip: "For perfectly crispy-bottomed gyoza, make sure your skillet is hot enough before placing them down for frying. After adding the water to steam, resist the urge to lift the lid too early—the steam will cook the filling thoroughly, and the sizzling sound lets you know they’re just right!"

Water Chestnut & Mushroom on Toast

By Chef Rollin Lasrado, Executive Chef, WEST for Smoke House Deli

Ingredients

• Fresh water chestnut (cleaned and halved), 150 gm


• Mushroom ( use a mix of your favorite mushroom), 150 gm


• Garlic cloves (peeled and finely-minced), 2


• Butter, 15 gm


• Olive oil, 10 ml


• Thyme, 2 sprig


• Shiitake stock, 50 ml


• Soy sauce (optional), 5 ml

• Bread of your choice (we prefer sourdough or a multigrain), 2-4 slices


• Olive oil, 30 ml


• Sprigs of thyme or microgreens


• Optional toppings: Poached eggs & Hollandaise sauce, Burrata cheese

• Clean and roughly slice the mushrooms.


• Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add the mushrooms. Let them caramelize before stirring. Then, add oil, butter, and garlic, stirring to combine.


• Add the water chestnuts and thyme. Pour in the shiitake stock and soy sauce (if using) and stir, allowing the mushrooms to absorb the liquid and deglaze the pan. Adjust the seasoning and remove from the heat.


• Drizzle olive oil over the bread and toast it in a non-stick pan until crisp.


• Place the toasted bread on a plate and top with the cooked mushroom and water chestnut mixture.


• Optional: Top with burrata cheese and fresh thyme or poached eggs and hollandaise for a delicious, easy breakfast or light open sandwich. Garnish with fresh thyme or microgreens and enjoy!

Plum Chilli Water Chestnuts 

By Krishna Tiwari, Executive Chef at Kyma, BKC Mumbai 

Ingredients 

• Water chestnuts, 150 gm


• Ripe plums (pitted and chopped),  1 no


• Plum chilli sauce, 50 gm


• Fresh red chillies (chopped), 50 gm


• Light soy sauce, 5 ml


• Sesame oil, 5 ml


• Corn flour for dusting the chestnut, 20 gm


• Oil for frying, 50 ml


• Ginger (grated), 3 gm


• Garlic (minced), 10 gm


• Salt, to taste


• Castor sugar, 3 gm


• White pepper powder, 3 gm


• Sesame seeds (for garnish), 5 gm


• Fresh coriander leaves (for garnish)

• Cut the water chestnut into two. Dust with corn flour and fry, keep aside


• Prepare the sauce:


• Heat the wok. Add minced garlic and grated ginger, and sauté until fragrant.


• Add the chopped plums, red chillies, and plum sauce and


• Add soy sauce, and lemon and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes. Season the sauce with salt white pepper powder and sugar.


• Add the fried water chestnut and toss to coat them well.


• Garnish with sesame seeds and fresh coriander.


• Serve warm as a snack or appetiser.


• Chef's tip: "For the best results, ensure the water chestnuts are fried until golden and crisp. This enhances their texture and helps them absorb the sauce better. You can also experiment with the sweetness by adjusting the amount of plums, based on their ripeness."