A member of the lily family~asparagus, was one such vegetable that had me intrigued with its strange beauty. I had seen and tasted this speary spring time delicacy for the first time in my life only in Toronto. Sweet, grassy and earthy in taste with a fragrance of spring, it soon began one of my favorites. Asparagus comes in two colors~green and white. While buying, look for tightly closed tips and long stems that are signs for good asparagus, and enjoy it fresh as soon as you bring it home. However, if you want to store for later use, trim the base of the stalks, and stand them upright in a jar filled with an inch of cool water, cover loosely with a plastic bag and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Asparagus
What do I usually do with asparagus you ask? Mostly I steam cook them as soon as I get them home to enjoy as a quick side-dish to my meals. Sometimes I also simply roast/grill them, or prepare some asparagus and dill cream soup, and occasionally add asparagus to dal, etc. There are so many other ways to enjoy this beautiful vegetable full of health benefits.
steam cooked fresh Asparagus
Steamed Asparagus
Rinse asparagus in cold water and drain. Cut and discard the woody ends of the asparagus. Bring surplus water to rapid boil in a large saucepan. Add asparagus in a bamboo steamer and place over saucepan. Let steam cook for approximately 12 minutes or until tender-crisp. Once done, transfer the asparagus onto a platter and season liberally with salt and pepper and enjoy.
Luv,
Mona
