Friday, January 28, 2011

Water chestnuts/Apulid/Tayok-tayok

Chicken with water chestnuts, vegetables and cashew nuts @ mirandablue

I love water chestnuts.  When we were kids, there was a swampy field near our house where neighborhood kids dug out something edible and sweet.  One summer afternoon, my best-friend and I got curious, joined the other kids hunting for "tayok-tayok" and got our first taste of the crunchy, mild flavored bulb.  We ate it peeled and raw, straight from the soil. It was not easy to find, and finding a bunch after minutes of digging got us all excited.


tayok-tayok, apulid or water chestnuts

It's been decades since I last heard of "tayok-tayok", an almost forgotten childhood memory.  And although I've been eating water chestnuts in Chinese dishes for a long time, I didn't realize until a few years ago that water chestnuts are the "tayok-tayok" of my childhood.

I googled it a few times and "apulid" came up.  However, nobody in the office or any of my friends ever heard of "apulid".  Anyway, I always buy a can of water chestnuts when I see at the supermarket.  I mix it with my favorite vegetables.  I guess water chestnut is like mushrooms in a sense that virtually any and all seasonings go well with it.

Above is chicken (marinated in oyster sauce, salt & pepper), sauteed in garlic and onion, veggies (broccoli, young corn, carrots, celery) were stir-fried, a dash of white wine, sweet bell pepper and cashew nuts.  Below is a dish of shrimps sauteed in garlic and onions, stir-fried vegetables (asparagus, young corn, celery, oyster mushrooms, cilantro, bell pepper), and oyster sauce.  Both dishes have corn starch to thicken the sauce.

Shrimps with water chestnuts and vegetables @ mirandablue
The other day, I even added water chestnuts to pork adobo (my mother shook her head in disbelief).:p  I just love the crunch!



Posted for Food Trip Friday and Food Friday

22 comments:

moonstar said...

hmm, this looks yummy and delicious.

here's my entry:

http://myjourneytolife.info/2011/01/27/kinalas-naga-citys-pride/

grab your link too and put in my blogroll. hope we can exchange.

Photo Cache said...

I am not a big fan of these kinds of water chesnut. In fact if I can I always asks for substitutes in Chinese dishes - they allow you to do that if you don't like one of the veggie ingredient.

When I was growing up we call this BUSLIG, smaller in size and much harder in texture. So good as a snack not for cooking, I don't think.

maiylah said...

dishes look delicious! am not sure if i've eaten water chestnuts before...maybe i have, or not. will see if i can buy a can when we visit the grocery this weekend.

☺lani☺ said...

Oh my! My kind of food! I remember that water chestnuts when I was a kid, we call that "apulid", reminds me of my childhood memories :) Happy Weekend!

Momgen said...

what i can say is wow! happy FTF!

Mine is here

Chubskulit Rose said...

Dyan tayo magkakasundo sis, I love water chestnuts too.
Looks so sumptuous!

Spice Up Your Life

January Zelene said...

looks so delicious..

Xye’s Birthday Cake

Clarissa said...

One of my favourite din ang water chestnuts.Madalas magluto ang mga hapon na may halong water chestnuts.Yours looks delish!

lyzacruz88 said...

a real pleasure to the taste...yummy!

hope you can visit my entry :)

 gmirage said...

haha, don't mind your mom shaking her head...i bet she loved those too!

http://kitchenmaus.blogspot.com/2011/01/pesto.html

Unknown said...

i've heard apulid but im not sure if ive ever eaten them :) but ur veggies looks yummy and delicious. i can live eating that from am til pm ^_^

tnx for dropping a comment for my ftf

Maria Berg said...

I have tried water chestnuts but it is not very comment in Sweden
MB

Maria Berg said...

Hi,

Waterchest nuts we do not have them in Sweden but I have tried one - the one I had I did not like but I know it does not taste the same if you are not in the country where they grow.
MB

Enchie said...

nakakatakam naman yung veggies mo :D will try some viands with water chestnuts. I haven't done it, but surely it would be one of my first discoveries for 2011 and thanks for that :)

♥ Willa @ Postage Journal♥ said...

Tayok-Tayok,wow! another new word I learned today.Thank you. :)

darly said...

that's interesting- first time ever ive heard of tayok tayok. Sarap din siguro with chopsuey.

Have a great weekend, my entry is up too.

i♥pinkc00kies said...

looks yummy & healthy :D

Sreisaat said...

I've seen this countless of times in the mercado where my grandma used to take me every Sunday. Do you also roast or boil it like what you do with langka seeds? I forgot now how this is called in Roxas City :P
Happy FTF, Luna!

We Ate This!

mommy Orkid Belle said...

Water Chestnuts are really good. I love the texture and the taste to it mixed with other stir-fried vegetables. Yummy!

Adin B

Alisa said...

It looks delicious.I'd love to guide Foodista readers to your site. I hope you could add this water chestnut widget at the end of this post so we could add you in our list of food bloggers who blogged about water chestnuts,Thanks!

L. Neusiedler said...

wow, so many delicious things on this blog :)! yumm!

Seiko said...

Hindi pa ko nakasubok nito.
Looks so yummy.