Asian cuisine is famous for such a product as soy asparagus. It is made from the delicate foam of soy milk. Asparagus can be boiled, stewed and fried with vegetables and meat. Spicy dishes with asparagus are especially savory.
The Chinese name for asparagus is fuju and the Japanese name is yuka. In Russia, the product is known as Chinese fern. Its use is especially recommended in lean and vegetarian menus to compensate for protein deficiencies. After all, asparagus is a kind of soy protein concentrate containing essential amino acids. Fuzhu is useful for the prevention of cardiovascular and oncological diseases, osteoporosis. Some experts argue that eating large amounts of soy asparagus can cause pancreatic disease. It is believed that the phytoestrogens in asparagus can cause abnormalities in sexual development in children and cause thyroid disease in women. Therefore, Fuju is recommended to be consumed in moderation.
Asparagus can be served with omelet, boiled potatoes, smoked fish, stew and ham.
Before cooking, it is customary to soak asparagus in water with soy sauce and various spices. Fuju itself is practically tasteless. Therefore, if it is not pickled, it will seem rather bland.
So, to make soy asparagus you will need: 1 pack of dried asparagus, 1 tbsp. l. aromatic vinegar, 0.5 tsp. ground red pepper, 0.5 tsp. various spices, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. salt or to taste. First, soak the soy asparagus in water: it should be at room temperature. Change the water to a new one after an hour. Soak the asparagus for 4-5 hours. If you need to speed up the process, fill the fuju with warmer water (not hot) and soak for 2 hours. For further softening, asparagus can be boiled in salted water for 5-7 minutes. But keep in mind that it cannot be digested, otherwise it will fall apart.
For cold salads, soak soy asparagus in cold water overnight.
After boiling, the asparagus is ready for pickling. Transfer it to a deep bowl, add salt, spices, vinegar, vegetable oil. You can add a little of the liquid in which the asparagus has been soaked. Fuzhu should be marinated for several hours, or a day. During this time, she will gain the best taste. The red pepper will make the asparagus slightly pink. But you can add other peppers. For example, black.
By tradition, ready-made soy asparagus should be cut into a length of about 5 cm. But to make it easier to eat, you can make smaller pieces.
For Korean salad, take 1 medium onion, 2 cloves of garlic, 3 large carrots, a pinch of coriander, 3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. l. soy sauce, 0.5 tsp. black pepper. Chop the onion and fry it in vegetable oil until golden brown. Chop the garlic very finely and add to the onion. Pour the chopped asparagus into this skillet and add the soy sauce. Fry the mixture lightly, but do not simmer. Chop the carrots into strips and add pepper, coriander, and pour vegetable oil on top. Then combine the carrots, asparagus and onions in a bowl. Salad ready! Let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to soak it properly.
According to another version, chopped carrots should be fried to make Korean salad. Do this in vegetable oil. It is advisable to fry not until fully cooked, but only slightly sauté.
