If the only water chestnuts you've ever tasted have been canned, then the fresh version will be a revelation. Canned water chestnuts are easy to use but they only contribute texture to a dish; they have no flavour. Fresh water chestnuts have a juicy, crisp texture and are subtly sweet, similar to Asian pears (also called apple pears).
Water chestnuts are sold in wet markets, often with a lot of mud clinging to them. Carefully inspect each one to ensure they're firm, if there are any soft bits they'll be mouldy inside. Wash the water chestnuts and peel away the hard skin with a paring knife to reveal the juicy white flesh. Some wet market vendors and most supermarkets sell the chestnuts peeled, which is fine if you're going to use them that day. Otherwise buy them unpeeled, store in the fridge and use within a few days. Water chestnuts can also be made into flour, which makes a crunchy coating for Chinese fried chicken and fried spare ribs.
Water chestnuts are delicious in stir-fries. For a colourful vegetable dish, peel the chestnuts and cut them into halves or quarters. Soak cloud ear mushrooms in warm water then cut the larger ones in half. Cut fresh baby corn in half lengthwise, and pull the tough threads from sugar peas. Cut a stalk of celery into 5mm slices on the diagonal. Cut a section of lotus root in half lengthwise, then cut into thin slices. Trim the stem end from fresh edible lily bulbs (they look like small, flat onions) and quarter them. Heat oil in a wok, add the lily bulbs and stir fry for a few minutes. Add all the other ingredients to the wok and stir in some soy sauce, rice wine, a sprinkling of sugar and a little ground white pepper. Stir in some broth or water, then lower the heat, cover with the lid and simmer for a few minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp and tender. Turn up the heat and reduce the liquid quickly, then taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Water chestnuts can also be added to minced pork dishes, such as the home-style steamed pork patty. Season minced pork with soy sauce, rice wine, salt, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil and cornstarch. Mix in diced water chestnuts and minced Chinese ham. Pat the mixture into a heat-proof dish and steam until cooked. Drizzle with sesame oil before serving.
A similar minced pork mixture (minus the ham, but add chopped fresh coriander) can be used to make lotus root sandwiches. Spread a thin layer of the pork mixture onto a slice of lotus root, top with another slice and press together. Pour cooking oil into a skillet to the depth of about 2cm and heat to 185 degrees Celsius. Fry the sandwiches for a few minutes on each side then drain on paper towels and serve hot.