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Water Chestnuts

 
Water Chestnuts
whole water chestnuts
photo credit: gourmetsleuth

What are Water Chestnuts?

Water chestnuts are popular in most Asian cultures including China, Japan, Korea as well as South-east Asia. The chestnuts are grown in water and are frequently rotated with the rice crop. Water chestnuts are not nuts at all they are technically a "corm" with a dark brown exterior that needs to be peeled away to reveal a white crispy flesh.

Use water chestnuts whole, sliced or diced, fresh or lightly cooked in stir-fries.

Substitute for Water Chestnuts

You can substitute canned for fresh water chestnuts
OR use equal amounts of Jerusalem artichokes
OR jicama slices

Equivalents

5 oz can water chestnuts = 15 to 16 water chestnuts
8 = can = 1 cup sliced

metric conversions →

Tubers & Corms
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Ingredients

Most canned water chestnuts are packed in water without other additives.  Actual ingredients may vary by brand.

Nutrition Information For Water Chestnuts

Serving Size
1 cup slices
 
Calories
70
Calories from Fat
0
 
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g
0%
Saturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 11mg
0%
Potassium
165g
0%
Total Carbohydrate 17g
10%
Dietary Fiber 4g
10%
Sugars 3g
Protein 1g
0%
 
Vitamin A  0% • Vitamin C  0%
Calcium  0% • Iron  0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Favorite Water Chestnuts Recipes

  • Water Chestnut Cake
    Water Chestnut Cake (Bu Bu Kao Sheng) is a traditional Cantonese dessert served for Chinese New Year. The recipe uses water chestnuts, water chestnut flour, coconut milk and fresh milk. Serves 6.
  • Chicken Lettuce Wraps
    Filled with chicken, mushrooms, water chestnuts and carrots, these Chicken Lettuce Wraps from Kendra Doss of Smithville, Missouri
  • Steve's Szechwan Sausage Wraps
    Steve's Szechwan Sausage Wraps combines pork sausage with black bean hot sauce, water chestnuts, green onions, peanuts, and carrots and serves the mixture in Bibb lettuce cups.
  • Orange Whiskey Chicken
    Our recipe for Orange Whiskey Chicken is a variation of Bourbon Chicken. Very little alcohol is used in the recipe and you can just leave it out if you wish and replace the liquid with water or more orange juice. Serves 4.
  • Hot And Sour Szechuan Soup
    A hearty Hot and Sour Soup recipe with wood ear mushrooms,  dried lily flowers (dried lily buds), water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots and marinated pork.

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