Surprise Inside A Butternut Squash

I stumbled onto something strange this week. I've used butternut squash many times, so I'm quite familiar with it, especially on cutting it and preparing it. But this is the first time I encountered this rather strange thing.

When I cut opened this butternut squash, the cavity that usually has the seeds had another surprise. I saw what appeared to be mung bean sprouts growing right in the cavity! Check out the photos below:

I have never seen this before. Of course, I started to question on how mung beans could be in the cavity of a butternut squash. There didn't appear to be any "puncture" on the squash itself, so how did they get in there?

After looking at it for a few minutes (and snapping a few photos), I cleaned out the cavity and proceeded to continue with my preparation. I was making my usual butternut squash soup. The butternut tastes the usual, nothing out of the ordinary with it.

So this is definitely a puzzle. Anyone encountered something similar, or has an explanation for this?

Zz.

Mushrooms: To Wash Or Not To Wash?

I'm sure you've heard this before, especially when you watch cooking shows on TV. Inna Garten, the "Barefood Contessa", and even Julia Child, both have stated that one shouldn't wash mushrooms. To clean it, one should just use a soft, dry brush to get ride of the dirt. Washing it, they claim, will only cause the mushrooms to absorb the water and will cause your dish to be soggy (if that's something you don't want).

The thing is, this type of claim can be easily tested and verified. And that is what has been done by many. I remember seeing an episode of "Good Eats" on the Food Network (when Food Network was actually worth watching) where Elton Brown actually made a test on how much water was absorbed by whole mushrooms when they were left to soak in water, and when they were rinsed under running water.

Verdict: Not that much, or at least, not enough to ruin a dish.

Similar conclusion was drawn from this website, where they tackled this culinary myth. Would a 0.5 ounce of additional moisture in your mushroom out of a total of 8 ounces of mushrooms make or break the dish that you make at home? Not with me it doesn't. That's less than 6% of the entire weight. Is your cooking THAT precise in the first place?

The issue here isn't washing or brushing mushrooms. The issue here is if the effort is justified for the result that we want. Here, brushing each mushroom is time consuming and tedious. Giving these mushrooms a quick rinse under running water is so much quicker and more convenient. The tiny amount of water being absorbed here is insignificant for the average home cook. The additional effort is not worth the small difference at the end.

For the record, I rinse my mushrooms under running water, and then I slice them for use in my dishes.

Zz.

Pasta With Broccoli Rabe

Often times, the simplest of usually the best.

This is my frequent standby, either for a quick lunch, or a weeknight dinner. It requires only a few ingredients.

I use linguini for this, but you can use any long pasta. As soon as the salted water boils, add about half pound of pasta. While that is cooking, start the "sauce".

Saute 2 cloves of garlic that has been roughly sliced and a pinch of pepper flakes in some olive oil. Add 1 strip of anchovy that has been roughly chopped. Stir until the anchovies has melted.

Add broccoli rabe (5 or 6 stalks that have been cleaned. You may cut the bottom 1 inch if it is too thick). Saute in the oil. Add 1/4 cup of white wine or chicken stock. Lower heat and let it gently cook until the pasta is done.

Use tongs and fish out the pasta out of the water and directly into the saute pan. Toss. If it is too dry, add pasta water, one ladle at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Drizzle extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle some good parmesian cheese if you have some. Toss thoroughly.

And there you have it, a quick and easy meal that is delicious and nutritious.

Note: some people are squimish about anchovies. Don't be, at least, not in this dish. You will not taste it. The anchovies simply add a background flavor to the dish. If I don't tell you that there's anchovies in here, you would not have guessed.

Zz.

Dinner Last Night

Since I bought some bitter melons, I decided to use it for the veggie dish last night. I cooked some Malaysian chicken curry with whole spices, onion gravy, Chinese eggplant, and carrots. It is served with Jasmine rice.

For the veggie dish, I simply stir-fried the bitter melon with daikon radish and green beans. I first have 2 garlic cloves and a small piece of ginger that I smashed and minced, sauteed that quickly before adding the vegetables. Stirred it quickly over high heat, poured in about 1/4 cup of water, and covered for about 1-2 mins. I hate limp, mushy veggies and would rather have it raw than overcooked. So I don't cook it as much.

Then I seasoned it with salt and white pepper to taste, and served! This is how the whole thing looks on a plate.

And just like soups and stews, curries taste better the next day! So I made quite a bit to have for the next few days! :)

Zz.

Bitter Melons

For the average American, the range of food that he/she eats is actually quite limited when compared to many other nationalities. This is especially true when compared to Asians.

The sad part about this is that, in many large metropolitan areas of the US, there availability of many "exotic" ingredients is actually quite easy. Here, in the NW suburbs of Chicago, there are many stores and markets, both ethnic and non-ethnic, that carry a wide variety of food products that one can try or add to one's culinary repertoire.

I just got back from Valli Fresh Market near here, and just in the produce isle alone, I can find lots of amazing stuff. This post focuses on this one particular amazing vegetable called the bitter melon. Here, they carry two types of bitter melons.

The ones on the right are the type that are generically called the bitter melon, while the one of the left has a more specific name as the Goya melon.

When I was growing up, I was more familiar with the one on the right. And I hated it. It does have a slight bitter taste, and of course, as a kid, you hate anything bitter. But now, as an adult, I love vegetables with a bitterness to it, and so, this bitter melon is one of my favorite. I cook with it often, usually in a quick stir fry.

The Goya melon, on the other hand, is quite popular in Japan, especially in Okinawa. It has been credited as one factor on why Okinawan has the highest percentage of citizens older than 100. It is often served stir fried in a dish called Chanpuru.

Both melons are popular in other parts of Asia. The generic bitter melon is a common ingredient in the Filipino dish Sinigang, while the goya melon is popular in many parts of India (it is sometime called Indian bitter melon).

I bought some today, and will be having it for dinner tomorrow evening. :)

Zz.