Thinking of what kind of well-balanced nutritional veggies to prepare for your kids? Try cooking asparagus which is really a wise choice for all ages and great benefits to weight watchers as asparagus is low in sodium, calories and no cholesterol or fat.
Asparagus is well loaded with fiber, folate, vitamin A, B6, C, K, thiamin and minerals such as phosphorous, selenium, potassium, iron, copper, calcium, manganese and magnesium. This herbaceous plant is also well rich in glutathione that act as a body detoxifyier, super antioxident and immune systems booster.
In all, the antioxidents present in asparagus helps protect our body from growth of cancerous cells. The vitamins and minerals contents will help to regulate blood sugar level, lower blood pressure, prevent kidney stones and urinary tract infections, enhance growth of immune cells and red blood cells, strengthen capillary walls, neutralize free radicals, reduce aging process and helps to maintain healthy skins and bones.
It is a leading Folic Acid's supplier among any others vegetables (provide 60% of the recommended daily allowance). As Folic acid is well known for helping your body to produce and maintain new blood cells, preventing cause of cancer and helps our brain to fight against cognitive decline. It is specially important for pregant woman in preventing of neural tube defects.
Buy, Selection and Storage:
Asparagus can be thick or thin and comes in three colours: white, green and purple. Usually green is commonly found in local supermarkets or wet markets. For stir fry purpose, I prefer to choose thick asparagus. Choose those that is straight, firm, uniformly sized spears with closed tips and not dried up. It is best to use it within two or three days of purchase. Otherwise you can wrap it up in paper towels or newspaper and stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you have wash and cut into pieces and decided not to cook instantly, just pat try and store them in a air-tight container and use within 2 or 3 days for best quality. Storing in the air tight container can still maintain it freshness.
Preparation:
Cut off the tough end of the stem and discard. Wash thoroughly, then use a vegetable peeler to deskin the asparagus stem all the way through the lower part. Do not deskin the top part with "leaves". Cut stalks diagonally of about 2 inches length.
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 stalks Asparagus - See above for preparation
- 1 piece Squid - Wash, remove membrane, vein, eyes and cut into rectangle slices with diagonal pattern on surface. (refer my cooking journal 4 - method no. 1 if you want to find out how to process the squid)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic - skin peel and sliced
- 3 slices of ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil - for marinate of squid
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce - for marinate of squid
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon of corn flour - for marinate of squid and sauce thickening
- pinch of pepper, salt and sugar - to taste
- 2 tablespoon water
