Cook's Guide to Asian Vegetables. Wendy Hutton

crisp texture. Choosing & Storing Fresh mung bean sprouts are often stored in tubs of water in Asian markets, and lifted out when required, or they may be piled in a heap on a tray. In supermarkets, mung bean sprouts are usually packed in plastic bags and kept refrigerated. The sprouts should look crisp and bright white. Avoid any which appear limp, or which have small green leaves starting to sprout from the seed head. Refrigerate the sprouts for 4-5 days in a bowl with water to cover, changing the water daily. Preparing Put the sprouts in a large bowl of water and move them gently with the hand to dislodge any greenish black hulls, lift these out and discard before use and, if liked, pinch off the thin root ends. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties Bean sprouts are more nutritious than the dried beans from which they are sprouted, full of vitamins and natural sugars. Culinary Uses The crisp texture and mild flavor of mung bean sprouts is best appreciated when they are eaten raw, which is the way they are commonly served in Southeast Asia. The Chinese, however, do not like to eat raw vegetables (a precaution which lingers from the days when human waste was used as a fertilizer), so they generally blanch or stir-fry them. To blanch mung bean sprouts, put them into a colander, pour a stream of boiling water over them for about 10 seconds, then immediately plunge the sprouts into iced water to cool. Drain the sprouts well before using. Raw or blanched bean sprouts are excellent in salads and soups, and are an essential ingredient in most Vietnamese and Thai noodle soups. Care is needed when cooking mung bean sprouts as they cook very quickly. If left too long, they become limp and watery. Perhaps the best way to cook the sprouts is to wash, then drain them well, and stir-fry over maximum heat in a small amount of very hot oil for 30 seconds only.

      Pea Shoots or Dou Miao are a good example of Asian thrift with none of the edible portions of the plant wasted. Pea shoots are the immature tips or shoots of the snow pea and sugar pea, and are plucked as the crop of peas keeps growing and maturing Often sold under their Chinese name, dou miao, pea shoots are enjoyed as a leafy green vegetable, and fetch an even higher price than the actual peas.

      Appearance & Flavor Pea shoots are often available in two sizes. The very tiny, immature shoots are picked when the leaves are about ¹/₃ in (1 cm) in diameter, and the stems are so slender that they are almost hair-like. The more mature shoots, which have larger stems and more pointed leaves about 1½-2 in (4-5 cm) in length, are more commonly available. Both types of pea shoots are very delicately flavored. Choosing & Storing Look for pea shoots which appear fresh. Avoid any that have a yellowish tint on the leaves and show signs of wilting. The smaller variety are frequently sold in a perforated plastic bag and can be stored refrigerated in this for 2-3 days. Larger sprouts can be kept refrigerated in damp paper for up to 3 days. Preparing The shoots should be washed thoroughly and well drained before using. The thicker part of the stems should be discarded from the more mature pea shoots. Culinary Uses The smaller variety of pea shoots are good raw in salads, although they are seldom used in this way in Asia. They can also be eaten raw as a garnish, or added at the last minute to soups. The more common larger pea shoots are always cooked, with the most popular method being a quick stir-fry, with a touch of oyster sauce often added just before serving, or with minced garlic and soy sauce.

      Pigeon Peas or Toor Dal are grown for their small seeds which are dried, husked and split to make one of India's most flavorful lentils, known as toovar, arhar or paripoo dal, depending on the region. More popular in India than anywhere else in the world, the pigeon pea is thought to be native to either Africa or India. The color of pigeon peas varies. They are sometimes known in English as red gram, however, they are most often yellow rather than red. They should not be confused with red lentils or masoor dal, which are slightly smaller and have a definite salmon pink color.

      Appearance & Flavor Pigeon peas range in color from white through yellow to brown and even black, although those dried and split for use as lentils or dal have a yellowish ochre shade. With their excellent flavor, pigeon peas are arguably the tastiest of all lentils. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties With 20% protein and high levels of calcium, phosphorus and beta-carotene, pigeon peas are very nutritious. They are also easily digested. Culinary Uses Split pigeon peas do not need soaking or pre-cooking, though some Indian cooks like to soak them in tepid water for 10-15 minutes before using. They are particularly popular in southern India, where they are generally simmered with spices and water or coconut milk to make a moist lentil stew or soup. The lentils are also cooked with mixed vegetables to make the southern Indian dish known as sambar, usually spooned over rice or eaten as a dip with savory pancakes made from ground rice and black gram (dosai).

      Red Lentils are known in India as masoor dal, and are a type of skinned split pea. In Europe, this attractive red lentil is generally associated with Egyptian and North African cuisine, which is not surprising since the plant on which it grows originated in the Middle East, and is widely used there for soups and stews. Red lentils are now widespread in India, and are popular not only for their excellent flavor but because of their digestibility and the short time required for cooking.

      Appearance & Flavor This lentil is easily recognized by its beautiful salmon pink color which, rather sadly, changes to yellow after cooking. The flavor is excellent. Nutritional & Medicinal Properties Like all other lentils, the red lentil is nutritious, containing around 20% protein as well as carbohydrates and calcium, and is particularly rich in phosphorus and thiamine. Red lentils are also easily digested. Culinary Uses This is one of the quickest cooking lentils, so it does not need any soaking at all. Red lentils are widely used in soups and stews, sometimes with added vegetables. Red lentils are also cooked with rice to make the dish known as kitchri. This became popular with the colonial British and was taken back to Victorian India, where a modified version (usually with the addition of smoked fish) became known as kedgeree.

      Red-streaked Beans or Borlotti Beans belong to the same family as the kidney bean. Similar to pinto beans, red-streaked beans are available fresh in the summer months in Europe when they first mature. Fully matured beans are sold dried. In many parts of Asia, fresh red-streaked beans are increasingly available in supermarkets and markets although the dried variety is not used in local cooking.

      Appearance & Flavor The beautiful pinkish purple-and-cream pods of this bean contain ivory-colored beans streaked with the same red color. Disappointingly however, these red streaks disappear soon after cooking. Red-streaked beans have a mild flavor and, when fresh and young, a pleasant, slightly waxy texture. Choosing & Storing Avoid any pods which may be starting to get a brown tinge; it is preferable to buy beans still in their pods rather than those which have been shelled, as the latter will not keep as long. To store the beans, refrigerate in a paper-lined plastic box or perforated plastic bag for 3-4 days, and peel just before using. If the beans are purchased peeled, they are best used within 24 hours. Culinary Uses In Asia, these beans are usually added to soups. They can also be simmered in lightly salted water and eaten as a salad vegetable, or added to other vegetables and meat to make a stewed or braised dish.

      Sesbania is a small tree native to northeastern Asia, and is commonly found in many gardens throughout Asia. It has attractive, almost lacy foliage and large, creamy white or yellow flowers, and is grown as much for its decorative qualities as for culinary purposes. The name, sesbania, is derived from its botanical name Sesbania grandiflora or Sesbania javanica, and the plant is sometimes known as the West Indian pea tree. Producing edible leaves, pods and flowers, it is indeed a versatile plant. In Cambodia, the important Water Festival usually takes place when the sesbania flowers are blooming. According to one historian/'as people take to the water in their boats, ahead of them goes a boat in which there is a bowl of batter and a pan of hot oil. The flowers, dipped in the batter and cooked, are left on the trees so that they may be collected by those following behind."

      Appearance & Flavor The curved, white or yellow flowers look like crescent moons, and are particularly prized. They taste somewhat like sweetish mushrooms. The pods are about 12 in (30 cm) in length, and very narrow, and should be eaten only when very young. The small, feathery leaves grow on either side of longish stems. Choosing & Storing Clusters