Cooking water spinach safely
Apparently water spinach (kangkung) has a parasite as it grows in water. How does one cook it safely to ensure that all the parasite eggs/cysts are no longer viable? I worry that with frying they could still be alive inside the hollow stems. Is there a specific amount of time that it must be cooked? Cleaning the chopping board and counter with just soap and water is okay?
Best Answer
Water spinach, like other delta-grown crops, is host to a variety of parasites that can infect humans. You should wash it in several changes of water; additionally some of my cookbooks (such as Asian Greens) recommend splitting the hollow stems to make sure they are clean on the inside. Some sources recommend soaking it in salt water as well.
After that, it makes sense to blanch or steam water spinach for a couple of reasons; it kills any remaining parasites, and when frying raw water spinach without blanching, the stems tend not to cook all the way through.
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Can you eat water spinach?
You can eat both the leaves and stems. Surprisingly, even the hollow stems are quite tender. Just trim away the lower 1-2 inches of the stalk, which can be a little fibrous. If you see very young and tender water spinach in the market, just give it a quick rinse.Can you eat kangkong raw?
Some leafy greens don't need any cooking at all and the kangkong is one of them. You can eat these raw! You'll get the full benefits of its nutritional value and not have to worry about the greens overcooking.Is water spinach healthy?
Health Benefits Water spinach is a powerhouse of nutrients that benefit your body as well as your skin and brain. It contains abundant quantities of water, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A and other nutrients and can be eaten cooked or raw. It is mostly used in salads as well as other dishes to boost their nutrient content.Is water spinach better than spinach?
Summary. Spinach contains four times more dietary fiber than watercress. Spinach contains 21.5 times more folate, five times more zinc, and 15 times more iron. It is also richer in most of the B complex vitamins, vitamins A, E, and K, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper.The life of water spinach | Water spinach growing for family use
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