Sunday, August 22, 2010

Nagaimo Mung Bean Dessert


Nagaimo is also called 山药 or 淮山 in Chinese.  It is a type of yam that can be consume raw.  It has long been traditionally used as Chinese medicine and herbology.  They cut it and dried it in pieces for cooking Chinese herbal soup.  It's the white color herb that we called it 淮山.  I just learned that it has other name which is 山药 from my Chinese friends.  I learned this dessert from them as they gave me a container to try.  It was my first time tasting fresh Nagaimo, frankly I didn't like it as they cut it into big chunks.  It was similar to potato in taste but full of potassium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin B1, and more.  It is also low in calories and a high protein tuber.  I saw a Chinese cooking show, where they put cubed and blanched Nagaimo and Pumpkin into heated milk and serve it as breakfast.  Usually you can cook it like what you would normally cook a potato dish.




You can read more about Nagaimo here. And more about the nutritional facts here.

In this dessert, I diced the Nagaimo into small cubes so that it was easier for me.  Since I cooked it in a slow cooker, some of the Nagaimo was blended into the soup when stirring.  It still have pieces of Nagaimo but quite pleasant since it was not in big chunks.  Definitely a dessert I will be cooking if I buy Nagaimo again.







Ingredients:

  • Nagaimo, a segment of it (more or less depended on how much you like it)
  • 1 cup of mung beans
  • A small piece of ginger, peeled and chopped into tiny pieces or leave it in big piece and smashed it if you want to take it out after cooking
  • Rock sugar to taste
  • Water to cover double the amount

The water amount that I used

Method:

1.  Peel the Nagaimo with a peeler (careful when holding it because very slimy and slippery), then rinse with tap water.  Diced into small pieces (you can cut it into bigger pieces if you like to eat it in chunks).

2.  Wash by rinsing the mung beans several times until the water is cleared.

3.  In a slow cooker, add in mung bean, chopped ginger, Nagaimo and cover with water.  Slightly more than double the amount.  Turn to high and let it cook for 3-4 hours, or until the mung beans are broken out.

4.  Add in rock sugar to taste.  Stir or wait until sugar dissolved.  Mix some potato starch with water, stir to mix well.  Slowly add into the dessert and stir until thicken.  If not thick enough, add more potato starch water.

5.  Good serving it warm or cold.  Keep the leftover in a container in the refrigerator to enjoy it cold.  Refreshing during Summer.  Or keep warm in the slow cooker to enjoy it warm.

Note:  You can cook this on the stove too, just have to keep watch.

15 comments:

Belinda @zomppa said...

How interesting! I wonder if you can make nagaimo gnocchi....

Cooking Gallery said...

I am sure I would love eating this dessert cold!

Beachlover's Kitchen said...

I saw that tuber all the time when visit asian market and wonder how to cook ..maybe I should try to buy it one day since you said it's really great !!

Big Boys Oven said...

this is evry nice lar, must be tasty! a must try recipe! ;)

Anh said...

I haved tasted this yam before, but it's ages ago. Haven't seen it since but I do like this dessert idea.

busygran said...

I maybe old, yet I've never eaten this type of yam. Problems lies with my peranakan hubby. Perhaps I shall make a little to try.

Peony said...

when I was in Jp, my girl taught me to just cut into round slices n saute this fresh waisan. It's crunchy and nice.

her Chinese National friend taught her this.

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

i just know to use Nagaimo to make savoury soup, never know it can prepare as dessert, sound good. Thanks for sharing.

Little Corner of Mine said...

Belinda, I think it's doable. You can try!

Yes, it's very nice serving it cold on hot days, cooking gallery.

Beachlover, yeah it's good for our body. I was surprised that this tuber was not cheap, that little piece on my picture cost me $2.50.

Thanks BBoven. :)

Anh, so far I like this yam in dessert, haven't tried it any other way yet. :P

busygran, from your picture you look young leh, where got old? Anyway, this tuber is really good, so cook a little to try.

Peony, thanks for telling me, I'm going to try saute this with some chicken next time. I haven't tasted it crunchy yet.

You are welcome Sonia. I learned it from my Chinese National friend too. This fresh Nagaimo is still new to me.

Bakericious said...

I nvr try this dessert b4 but must b refreshing and yummy, I only drink Nagaimo in soup b4 :)

Noob Cook said...

This is something new to me! Looks like something I will like too, very nourishing.

tigerfish said...

I have more uses for Nagaimo next time. Thanks for the great ideas.

Indonesia Eats said...

I've never had this before. But I usually enjoy my mung bean as porridge with coconut milk

teatea said...

Hi i think 'shan yao' have many benefits according to chinese physician. wow more recipes are coming up before i can try them out.

Little Corner of Mine said...

Teatea, yes "Shan Yao" is really good for us. That's why I bought it. Haha...