At first glance, the strange black fruits in the photograph almost look like something from another planet.
They have dark, hard shells, pointed horns, and irregular shapes that make them difficult to recognize as something edible. If someone handed you a plastic bag full of them without explanation, it would be completely understandable to wonder:
What exactly are these things and how are you supposed to eat them?
The fruits shown in the image appear to be water caltrops, also commonly called water chestnuts, buffalo nuts, bat nuts, or devil’s nuts, depending on the species and region. They belong to the genus Trapa and grow in freshwater environments.
Their unusual appearance is one of the reasons they are so fascinating. Despite looking hard and intimidating on the outside, the inside contains a white, starchy kernel that has been eaten in parts of Asia and other regions for generations.
But there is an important point to understand before trying them:
You shouldn’t simply wash one and bite into it raw.
Proper identification, cleaning, and cooking are important, particularly because freshwater plants and fruits can potentially carry microorganisms or parasites when consumed raw.
Củ ấu có tác dụng gì? Thành phần dinh dưỡng của củ ấu
What Are Those Strange Horned Fruits?
The fruits in the photograph have a distinctive appearance.
