"Are you really using this as the main ingredient?"... An unexpected ingredient that saved the 'Cooking Monster' in the 'Black and White Chef' resurrection battle

As the Netflix variety show 'Black and White Chef Season 2' approaches its finale, the list of potential winners is gradually narrowing. In particular, the broadcast released on the 30th has heightened viewers' curiosity about this season's winner as the black spoon class participant 'Cooking Monster', mentioned as one of the contenders, survived the resurrection battle. 

The mission of this resurrection battle, conducted for the black spoon class participants who were all eliminated in the black and white team competition, was to showcase a dish featuring ingredients chosen by the participants themselves.

Among various main ingredients such as beef, dried pollack, flatfish, and oysters, the ingredient that 'Cooking Monster' brought out was none other than 'asparagus'. The judges initially wondered, "Is it really possible to make a dish with asparagus as the main ingredient?" and tilted their heads. This is because asparagus is usually eaten as a garnish with steak or simply in salads. 

However, 'Cooking Monster' captivated the judges by presenting his own creative dish using asparagus. He grilled the asparagus strongly and enhanced its flavor with brown butter and shiokoji, maximizing the taste of the asparagus by pairing it with lemon koji puree and other ingredients. Judges Baek Jong-won and Ahn Sung-jae remarked, "This is a combination we've never tried before, and the flavor of the asparagus really stands out," giving 'Cooking Monster' the highest score. 

Asparagus rich in vitamins and dietary fiber

The asparagus that brought luck to 'Cooking Monster' is a vegetable boasting various benefits. In particular, it is rich in vitamin B, the antioxidant lutein, and dietary fiber, which can supplement nutrients lacking when eating meat. Additionally, asparagus is high in fiber while low in calories and sodium, making it popular among those trying to lose weight. 

Asparagine in asparagus helps with fatigue recovery and hangover relief 

In particular, asparagine, an amino acid found in asparagus, plays a role in promoting protein synthesis and metabolism, activating diuretic action, and helping prevent constipation. Asparagine is involved in energy production and ammonia detoxification processes, thus aiding in fatigue recovery and hangover relief. It is known that asparagus contains more than ten times the amount of asparagine compared to bean sprouts. 

Moreover, asparagus is also rich in folate, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Folate is a key vitamin involved in the formation of the baby's brain and spinal cord, making it an essential nutrient for pregnant women and mothers. Vitamin E is known to help activate sex hormones, while research suggests that vitamin K is beneficial for anti-aging and dementia prevention. However, vitamin K is an essential vitamin that aids in blood clotting, so those taking anticoagulants or blood thinners should be cautious when consuming asparagus.

Short heating during cooking, avoid rinsing after blanching

When cooking asparagus, it is recommended not to heat it for too long to prevent the loss of nutrients such as vitamin C and lutein, and to avoid rinsing it in water after blanching in boiling water. Even if not eaten with steak, it is good to lightly blanch it in water and dress it with salad dressing, or simply heat it with olive oil, salt, and pepper.