WATERCRESS may look cheap at your various municipal markets, but this vegetable is far nutritious than cabbage, bele, rourou and moca.
Isikeli Banuve of Lakena, is a father of three. He sells watercress at the Suva market every week.
Watercress is a peppery, delicate, dark green leafy vegetable that grows wild in cool streams of running water.
Mr Banuve, 47, a fisherman and vegetable farmer sells a bundle of watercress for $2.
“I have been selling watercress for 30 years especially during this time of the year,” he said.
He said in the wet season he was able to harvest more than 50 bundles of watercress.
“I am a fisherman but money I earned from this is not enough to meet all our needs.”
Mr Banuve used to work at a construction company. He said he resorted to vegetable farming because he was finding it hard to fish every night and sell them in the mornings.
“With the help of my children, I am able to do vegetable farming on a large scale and sell them at the Suva market,” he said.
He delivers his produce to the market three times a week.
“I also do fruit and root crop farming on a small scale as a backup source of earning income,” he added.
Watercress in shrimp sauce
This recipe uses the very strong and smelly shrimp sauce that can be found in most Chinese shops. You only need a little and your body will love the fermented ingredients.
* 1 bundle watercress, washed and picked;
* 1 teaspoon Chinese fine shrimp sauce;
* ½ teaspoon Chinese sesame oil;
* ½ teaspoon brown or white sugar;
* 3-4 fresh garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon cooking oil
* In a medium heated wok, fry the garlic in the oil, careful not to burn the garlic
* Add the washed watercress (shake off as much water) and toss until wilted
* Add the shrimp sauce, sugar and sesame oil
* Mix thoroughly and toss for 2 minutes or until sugar melts, and the sauce covers all the watercress and
* Serve on its own or as a main meal accompaniment.
