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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

No Carrot in Carrot Cake



  
Daikon, or white radish is Raphanus sativus var longipinnatus, a mild-flavoured, very large, white East Asian radish with a wide variety.

Radish, Raphanus sativus, is its European counterpart.  Radishes too have numerous varieties, mostly red.


Names

The name ‘daikon’ derives from the Japanese大根, meaning ‘large root’.  Despite its Japanese-associated name, it was originated from continental Asia.

The Chinese called it 蘿蔔luóbó’ (Cantonese) or 菜头càitóu’ (Hokkien), literally mean ‘vegetable head’.  However, both the name 蘿蔔and 菜头 also referred to carrot, thus create some confusion between daikon and carrot.  To clear the air, daikon is differentiated by calling it 白蘿蔔 ‘white luóbó’ or 白菜头 ‘white càitóu’ ;  while carrot is 紅蘿蔔‘red luóbó’ or 紅菜头‘red càitóu’. 

Nevertheless, carrot is not related to daikon.   Carrot is the root of Daucus carota, a member of Apiaceae family; while daikon is of Brassicaceae family.

The Malay name ‘lobak’ is apparently derived from Chinese ‘luóbó’.

In English, it is generally called white radish, Oriental radish, Japanese radish, Chinese radish, or Korean radish.




Culinary use

In Chinese cuisine,  蘿蔔糕luóbó-gāo or  菜头馃càitóu-guǒ’ is made with daikon.  
( Yet still,  蘿蔔糕 or  菜头馃 is erroneously called ‘carrot cake’.  So, don’t complaint if you can’t find carrot in your ‘carrot cake’. ) 



It is also made into 菜脯, a pickled daikon.  Other than that, it is most commonly eaten cooked in soup or stewed.




橄榄 Canarium album


橄榄 ( 学名:Canarium album Raeusch ),也称为白榄、山榄(广西、广东)、青果、谏果、忠果(古称)、黄榄(云南金平)、红榄、青子(广东)、南威,是橄榄科橄榄属 ( Burseraceae ) 植物。


产地

橄榄原产于中国南方,广东、广西、福建、台湾、浙江、四川等省份均有出产。

闽南、潮汕等地人民过去好食槟榔 Areca catechu ),但到了清末,渐以橄榄代之。

福建省是中国橄榄产量最高的省份,著名品种有惠圆、檀香等。广东潮汕地区也是橄榄的传统产区,其中以澄海南溪橄榄、潮阳金玉三捻橄榄、潮安铁铺橄榄、揭西凤湖橄榄等品种最为闻名。



古书记载

东汉 · 杨孚《异物志》:
橄榄生南海浦屿间。树高丈余。其实如枣,二月有花生,至八月乃熟,甚香。橄榄木高硕难采,以盐擦木身,则其实自落。

三国 · 万震《南州异物志》:
闽、广诸郡及缘海浦屿间皆有之。树高丈余,叶似榉柳。二月开花,八月成实,状如长枣,两头尖,青色。核亦两头尖而有棱,核内有三层,层中有肉可食。

· 刘恂《岭表录异》:
橄榄树,身耸,枝皆高数尺,其子深秋方熟。闽中尤重此味。云咀之香口,胜含鸡舌香。饮汁,解酒毒。有野生者,子繁树峻,不可梯缘,但刻其根下方寸许,纳盐于其中,一夕子皆自落。树枝节上生脂膏如桃胶,南人采之,和其皮叶煎之,调如黑汤,谓之橄榄糖。用泥船损,干后坚于胶漆,著水益干耳。



用途

橄榄果实味清香微苦而带甜味,常作为水果食用。可生食,或者泡水喝,也可制成蜜饯、干果,或将成熟鲜果以甘草、蜂蜜或糖汁腌制成甘草橄榄。

未成熟的橄榄较苦涩,将其切段后与腌制好的芥菜叶一起加食油熬煮,称为橄榄菜,是潮汕地区知名的佐餐小食,尤以汕头市下蓬、外砂等地所产为出名。



营养价值

橄榄果肉含有丰富的营养物,鲜食有益人体健康,特别是含钙较多,对儿童骨骼发育有帮助。

果实含蛋白质1.2%,脂肪1.09%,碳水化物12%,钙0.204%,磷0.046%,铁0.0014%,抗坏血酸0.02%。种子含挥发油78%,以及香树脂醇等。



食疗功效

性平,味甘、酸。    

功能主治:清热,利咽,生津,解毒。用于咽喉肿痛、咳嗽、烦渴、鱼蟹中毒。