Beans around IN TERMS of subsistence the bean is almost as im- portant in this world as bread. From prehistoric ‘times beans, in one form or ancther, have kept people alive, and J suppose this is as true today as it was in early times. There are three beans that lead the world: the soybean, the haricot bean andthe broad or fava bean. , “There. are many other types of beans, of course, and the follow- ing recipes will offer you a few new ideas for their use in your kitchen. BEAN CURD WITH PORK (Serves 4 as part of a Chinese meal) . Tai Tung restaurant, a Seattle institution, has been operating in Chinatown since the "30s. I have eaten there since { was about 13. _ Through the years the food has been inconsistent sometimes, but it is still a fine eating house. When one of the old crew is on duty in the kitchen this dish is prepared.in such a delicious man- ner that you think you could live on bean curd flavored with soy- bean condiment. Beans with beans, that’s what this one is! 1 pound bean curd, cut inte %- inch cubes aud drained 2 tablespoons peanut oit 3 cloves garlic : 1 slice fresh ginger root, size of a 25¢ piece, cut julienne ¥: pound pork, sliced into thin julienne strips 1 tablespoon soybean condiment (‘‘mein see’’) 3 green onions, cut into slivers 2 tablespoons dry sherry or Chinese rice wine Wednesday, February 19, 1992 - North Shore News - 43 FOOD world 1 tablespoon light’soy sauce W% feaspoon sugar Ve teaspoon salt Freshly ground white pepper to taste Piach of MSG (optional) “% cup fresh or canned chicken soup stock t tablespoon each cornsturch and water, mixed together Cut the bean curd and allow i: to drain for half an hour. Heat a wok and add the oil. Chow (stir-fry) the garlic and ginger for a moment, then add the pork. Cook for a coupie of minutes over high heat and remove the meat to a serving bow, leaving the oi! in the wok. Add the soybean condiment and green onions to the hot wok and chow for a moment. Add the bean curd along with all remaining in- gredients except the cornstarch mixed with water and the meat. Chow the bean curd until all is very hot, then add the pork and, finally, stir in the cornstarch mix- ture. This dish is great over rice. It is versatile in that you can brighten the flavor by simply increasing the amount of garlic or soybean con- diment. LONG GREEN BEANS WITH BEEF (Serves 4 as part ofa Chinese meal) If you have never seen the long variety of Chinese string beans, you are in for a surprise. They are over a foot long and can be found in large Chinatowns. The flavor is close to the bean we know, but the texture is com- pletely different, because this long bean holds its crunchiness when cooked. You must find some of these legumes, though the substitution of our green beans still makes a delicious dish. 1 pound Chinese long green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (you can substitute fresh green beans) ¥2 pound beef flank steak, sliced thin MARINADE: ¥2 tablespoon light soy sauce ¥2 tablespoon dry sherry or Chinese rice wine Ys teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 teaspoons cornstarch 3 teaspoons peanut oit for chow- ing 1 quart peanut oil for deep-frying 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine ¥2 tablespoon fermented black beans (‘‘dow see’’), rinsed, or soybean condiment (‘‘mein see’’) % cup fresh or canned beef soup stock See Long page 45 STRING EM UP: The three most common beans are the soybean, haricot bean and fava bean. Beano breaks down complex sugars RECENT NUTRITION rec- ommendations from Health - and Welfare Canada stress in- creasing our intake of beans, vegetables and grain products, and lowering fat consumption. This low-fat, high fibre diet has quickly become popular in society’s search for a healthier, longer life. While it may be more nutritious to adopt the high- fibre lifestyle, the ‘‘internal combustion’? that often ac- companies this diet is enough to make even the most. avid broccoli eater dread facing the public after a meal. Now there’s a solution to the embarrassing problem often associated with legendary gassy foods like beans, broccoli and Dates - the old world candy Inquisitive Cook ANNE SUE GARDINER WILSON THE TEXTURE and sweetness of dates makes them a highly unusual fruit — soft, sugary, brown and glossy. Dates not only look like nuggets of candy grow- ing on trees, they taste like candy, too. Indeed, it’s hard to believe the sweetness of dates is all natural. But these long brown fruits hang- ing in huge clusters have no need to bask in a sugar syrup, for the natural sugar in a fresh date runs as high as 47%. . As dates cure after harvesting, their fruit atids react with some of their natural sugars, forming a sweet ifvert sugar which helps the date stay soft as it’s stored. The arid Coachella: Valley of California is home to over 90% of the North American date crop. Not only is this fruit unique, growing dates is also an unusual type of farming. This valley of blue skies and warm temperatures lies in a depression below sea level that suits date-farming well. The concept of harems is a feature of date gardens as date palms are either male or female. Each acre of 48 females has one male palm. As wind pollination is an uncer- tain process, and insects are not easily attracted to the blossoms, date palms are pollinated by hand, with a sprig of male blossoms tied in each female flower bunch. A date palm holds 12 to 15 large bunches of dates, each weighing about 20 Ibs. (9 kg). A healthy date palm produces as cabbage. It’s Beano, a simple- to-use enzyme that breaks down the complex car- bohydrates that are notorious for causing flatulerice. Here’s how Beano is used: three to eight drops of Beano are added to the first bite of offending food. The Beano en- zyme will break down the gas-producing sugars right in the stomach. The food will then be fully eaten and the gas and discomfort will not occur. Beano is classified as an over-the-counter _non-prescrip- tion drug. The Beano enzyme, alpha-galactosidase, is derived from a safe food-grade mould called Aspergillus niger. This enzyme is not produced in the human body and without it, the indigestible complex sugars ferment in the lower intestine, producing various gases. In short, Beano breaks down complex sugars so they are more digestible. Fermentation is avoided — and so is embar- rassing gassiness and bloating. Beano is available. in two sizes: 12-servings and 75- servings. The suggested retail price is $2.95 and $13.75, respectively. Buano can be found in the antacid section of pharmacies and in health and natural foad stores. Consumers with questions, comments, or requests for product literature and a special trial-size offer can call the bi- lingual Beano hotline toll-free at 1-800-668-8968, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m, that grows on trees much as 300 tbs. (135 kg) of fruit a year, and its bearing capacity is in proportion to the number of gercen leaves it carries. Occasionally, in our northern markets, we see a’ daie with a white powdery film on its skin. This is caused by the evaporation of moisture from the date, leaving behind tiny crystals of sugar. Crystallization can also happen when dates are kept in the freezer. It’s easy to reverse the process, however, by steaming the dates for approximately 10 minutes or by placing them on a cookie sheet covered with a wet towel, in a warm oven for 15 minutes. The texture softens as the sugar melts back into the date, refreshing them beautifully. There are several different varieties of dates. Those with less moisture and a firmer texture keep well and are best for baking. Dates to be eaten fresh are softer, farger and more moist. One new variety, called the Medjooi, ripens to an elegant inky brown, and is fast establishing a reputation as a favorite fresh date. Date harvesting normally lasts from September through to January. And from the middle to the end of February each year, the National Date Festival is held in Indio, California. Underlying the camel races, pageants and parades that cele- brate the end of the harvest season is a respect for the longevi- ty of one of man’s oldest cultivated fruits, and what may well be his earliest form of candy.