Tasty Arrowhead Chips

After reading SmallKucing's recent mouth-watering post on making arrowhead chips, my itchy hands found itself purchasing a kilogram of the said tubers/corms that very evening and raring to have a go at it!

Arrowhead tubers/corms are produced from plants known as Broadleaf Arrowhead, Chinese Arrowhead Plant, Duck Potato or Wapato [Sagittaria latifolia]. A herbaceous perennial usually grown in shallow water around streams, ponds and ditches, its leaves are arrowhead shaped and produces delicate white flowers (here) and tubers/corms.

In Malaysia, arrowhead tubers (usually called 'Nga-ku' or 'Chi-ku') are imported from China about 1 month before the Lunar New Year (or usually referred to as Chinese New Year here) and is an important item in the celebration. Its usually eaten steamed together with preserved meats like chinese sausages and waxed duck drumstick. It is also delicious eaten deep fried like potato chips.

Washed & awaiting

Close-up view

Peeled

Sliced

Deep-frying

Resulting chips

Can you guess from the last picture, which were the 1st batch out from the hot frying pan?? :)

Nga-ku tastes slightly bitter and raw but once steamed, the bitterness is not that noticeable as it had absorbed the flavours of the various preserved meats steamed together.

Incidentally, I have a very similar looking plant growing in my bath-tub pond, I wonder if its related although mine has a much narrower shaped leaf. Perhaps I won't have to wait for my annual Nga-ku fix afterall!

Have a fabulous time counting-down to Year 2012 this weekend my friends!