Do you know what this is and what to do with it?

Update: The ingredient listed above is called a water caltrop, also known as a Chinese water chestnut. The outside is very hard and it resembles the head of a bull. Chef Ian left a comment, and I also received an email from a fellow student that knew the name for them in Chinese, but neither mentioned what to do with them.

We saw these water caltrops in Chinatown the other day, and it was difficult to find someone who could explain in English how to prepare them. I tried to ask the cutest old man beside me, and after quite a few motions with his hands, I understood you could break them open and eat them. However, it's unclear if you can eat them raw or not, as some sites say they must be boiled prior to consumption.

So, does anyone have a favorite water caltrop recipe? Chef Ian? Eddie? Send it in and I'd be willing to give it a shot and report back. How about a chocolate-covered caltrop recipe for the blogger, Foodette, who commented below? I'd definitely give that a try - anything covered in chocolate must be good!  

Tagged as: [ ingredient interesting ]