Video Story
Watch VideoBlack colored foods the latest cooking trend
Story By: Bea Karnes
Source: NBC
Black-colored foods are all the rage in places like Japan. That’s because they are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties and perhaps even help protect against heart disease and cancer.
You may have thought about eating black beans, but what about black rice? Or black mushrooms? At Asian groceries, you can even get things like black sesame oil; black vinegar and black soybeans to complement your meals.
So what's the big deal? Well some say these ebony colored foods have more health benefits, and others say they have deeper more intense flavors. In Asia, Silkie Chickens are stewed with herbs and the broth consumed to improve health.
Both the meat and the bones of this bird are black. At Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in Fort Worth, Texas, Chef Tim Love has created several dishes around the black-food trend. "When I do black foods, I like to contrast it really heavily with white foods," said Love.
Using ingredients like black potatoes, black trumpet mushrooms and even black caviar, he's created an entirely new culinary experience. "Recently, more and more black foods have become available to find,” said Love. “Black trumpets are easy to find, but black limes, which I make cocktails with, are really hard to find."
And he says home chefs can find ways to mix black foods into their own meals. These are some really fun dishes, with really intense flavors, and they're also pretty good for you, too," said Love.
