A couple of easy aquatics!
Lebanese Cress
Lebanese watercress (Aethionema cordifolium) has a light green fern like leaf and has a pleasing taste somewhere between a carrot and celery. It has none of the sharp peppery taste that regular watercress has. Throw it in a salad, sandwich or an interesting pesto. it’s a great source of greens for salads and soups.
Lebanese cress is easily managed in your pond or favourite freshwater habitats and grows quite well for me in the large bog pot with Louisiana iris. You will need to keep the possums away though. Lebanese cress must be high on the possums’ favourite foods list.
Propagation:
Lebanese cress grows in damp soil or shallow water. Plant it in pots to keep contained. Does well when divided several times per year. is very easy to propagate. Break a piece off the adult plant and either pot it up (and place back in the main water pot) or plant the cutting in boggy soil. In very hot climates, grow it in the shade.
Kang Kong
Kang Kong (Ipomea aquatica) is closely related to our sweet potato. It is also known as water spinach, being a nutrient dense, hardy aquatic vegetable. Rich in nutrients as most greens are, kangkong is high in iron but is not bitter. This makes it a popular ingredient eaten raw in salads, cooked or steamed in Asian stir fries and cuisine. Add kangkong last to stir fries, as it cooks down very quickly. The entire stem and leaves can be used from this plant. If you get tired of stir fries, try steaming it with some oyster sauce, adding it to your super green smoothies or add the leave to a garden salad. With its natural vigour, you are best to eat the day you pick kangkong. Harvest in lengths of 30 cm bunches, it will reduce in size dramatically when cooked.
Kang Kong may go dormant over the cooler months but will quickly be on the move again as the weather warms up. Simply re-pot it and return to the main pot. Growth increases dramatically when conditions are warm and kangkong can grow in 2-3 metre lengths. It is a heavy feeder. Regular fertilising will ensure a constant supply of fresh food for your dinner table. It prefers full sun and will grow all year in the tropics.
Recipes:
Lebanese cress and watermelon salad
Lebanese cress is delicious in this salad. It has a slightly bitter cucumber-like flavour which contrasts nicely with the watermelon sweetness.
Ingredients
800g watermelon, skin removed, diced
1 small cucumber diced
100g feta, crumbled
30g or 1 handful Lebanese cress, leaves removed, stems discarded
1 tablespoon small basil leaves
Dressing
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup apple cider or preferred vinegar
½ teaspoon caster sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Toss the prepared ingredients in a salad bowl
Dressing
Mix dressing ingredients in your favourite sin jar, shake, sprinkle and enjoy.
Garlic Kang Kong stir fry
Ingredients
A big bunch of water spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger finely sliced
1 tbsp red chilli finely sliced
salt and pepper
soy sauce
cooking oil
Instructions
Cut and wash the water spinach into 3-inch pieces and set aside. Heat oil in a wok and add the garlic and ginger. Fry until they are fragrant. Now add the water spinach and stir fry until it has softened and shrunk down.
Add the soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.