2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
It so happened that this vegetable has not yet gained great popularity with us. It is quite affordable in stores, it is easy to prepare it, many recipes are offered. But we again and again prefer the more familiar tomatoes and cucumbers. Perhaps because we do not know anything about these green roots? So, asparagus. What is it?
The same asparagus
Although not very popular with us, asparagus has been cultivated and used for various purposes (as food, as a medicine, as a decoration of bouquets) for several thousand years. Surely you have seen in the decorated bouquets a green sprig that looks like a Christmas tree. This is asparagus.
Its main features are seasonality and the need to eat fresh. It is not recommended to store asparagus in the refrigerator for more than 2 days. You can freeze asparagus, but preferably cooked (boiled).
As a vegetable, asparagus, the photo of which you see below, is found in three varieties:
Green. The most common, going all year round
White. Collected from March to June. Due to the complexity of the collection and seasonality, it has a higher price, butand it tastes more tender than green
Purple. A rare variety with a specific and bitter taste. During cooking, it changes color to green
There is also the so-called Korean or soy asparagus. What it is? This product (fuju, fuju, soy sticks) is made from soy milk and is not the vegetable in question.
What's good about asparagus?
- Asparagus contains potassium, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, vitamins A, B1, B2, B9, C, E, PP.
- Asparagine lowers blood pressure and strengthens the heart.
- Coumarins improve the condition of blood vessels and blood clotting.
- Saponins improve the secretion of glands, remove mucus from the bronchi and thin phlegm.
- Carotenes provide cancer prevention.
- Folic acid makes skin beautiful, prevents hair loss and graying.
- Asparagus juice helps to get rid of swelling and warts, prevents the formation of cellulite.
- Asparagus is said to be a good aphrodisiac.
And this is not a complete list of its useful properties.
What's delicious here?
Some people don't understand why there is so much fuss about something as ordinary as asparagus. What it is, they know. Bought, prepared, but found nothing special in it. Most likely, the reason for the disappointment is that the cooking rules were not followed.
How to cook asparagus at home so as not to be disappointed in its taste?
First, the asparagus stalks are washed with cool water. Then you need to cut off the bottom, about 1/3. In this place, the color of the stem is usually slightly lighter. Actually, this can also be eaten, but the fact is that the lower part is quite hard, while the upper one is tender.
Further, asparagus can be boiled in water and steamed, fried in a pan, cooked in the microwave, but there is one important rule - it must not be overcooked on fire. Otherwise, the asparagus will take on an unpleasant color and become too soft.
The second important rule: if you plan to eat asparagus cold, it should be cooled quickly. For example, rinse after cooking under running cold water.
Microwave
Spread 5-6 stems on a microwaveable plate, preferably a rectangular one. Add a couple of tablespoons of water. Cover the plate with cling film and make a small hole in it to let the steam out. Microwave the asparagus and set a timer for 2.5-3 minutes. Worth no more. Of course, the longer you cook the asparagus, the more tender it will be, but overcooked asparagus is unlikely to please you.
In a frying pan
Heat a frying pan, pour vegetable oil (it's good if it's olive oil), put the asparagus and fry over medium heat until it acquires the degree of softness that you like. You can add spices.
In a pot
Boil a pot of water, add the asparagus stalks and cook untilsoft. Once the asparagus is tender, drain the water. If you leave the stems in water, they will overcook. White asparagus is cooked for about 10-15 minutes, green - 5-8 minutes. It is better to arrange the stems in the pot so that the tops are not covered with water.
In a double boiler
Everything is the same. Boil water, place the asparagus in a container and cook until tender.
Ideally, cooked asparagus should be slightly crispy. It can be used both as an independent dish (seasoned with melted butter or some kind of sauce), and as a side dish, as well as as part of other dishes (soups, salads and even desserts).
Contraindications
Unfortunately, not everyone can eat asparagus. Avoid this vegetable in the following cases.
- Stomach and duodenal ulcers, as well as other serious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Cystitis.
- Rheumatism of the joints.
- Prostatitis.
- Individual intolerance.
So, we figured out a bit where the asparagus came from, what it is and why to eat it. Now is the time to go to the kitchen, get an unfamiliar but exotic vegetable bought in a vague impulse of the soul from the refrigerator, and make the usual home menu more varied and interesting.
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