For stuffings or to serve with vegetables, gently boil fresh chestnuts in salted water or stock for about 30 minutes until just tender - they should feel soft when pierced with a fine skewer but not break up.
For purees, fresh chestnuts need to be cooked a little longer so that the nuts will be soft enough to pass easily through a sieve or mouli mill, or be processed in a blender or food processor.
For soups and casseroles, add the chestnuts raw and allow to soften in the cooking liquid along with the recipe's other ingredients. When using chestnuts in cakes and desserts, cook them barely covered with some sugar syrup or sweetened milk in a lidded, heavy-based saucepan, stirring often.
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Asian Recipes **