Ingredients
Chinese wolfberry
Other Names: Boxthorn berry; Chinese boxthorn; gau gei choi, goji, gouqizi, or ji zi (Chinese); matrimony vine fruit; red caper.
General Description: The Chinese wolfberry (Lycium chinense) is a deep red, dried fruit about the same size as a raisin with a flavor somewhere between dried cranberry and dried cherry. Wolfberries are moderately sweet, with a hint of bitterness and tartness. They’re used in Chinese cooking for their flavor, their beautiful color, and their beneficial properties. Perhaps the most nutritionally dense fruit on the planet, wolfberries have traditionally been regarded as a food of the highest order for longevity, sexual potency, and building strength. Wolfberries grow in protected valleys of Inner Mongolia and Tibet. The berries are never touched by hand; they will oxidize and turn black if touched while fresh. Harvesters shake the large bushes so that the ripe berries fall onto mats, where they are then dried in the shade.
Purchase and Avoid: Purchase dried wolfberries in Chinese markets, choosing those with bright red color and plump shape; avoid any berries that are very wrinkled and brown. The larger the berry, the more expensive.
Storage: Store in a cool, dark place with low humidity or freeze until needed.
Serving Suggestions: Sprinkle wolfberries over dry cereal or add to bread or muffin batters, just like raisins. Add wolfberries to stewed pork, beef, chicken, or fish 10 minutes before the meat is done. Chop and add to vinaigrettes.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
