Strange Vegetables

[eje]

Did it look more like this?

-snip-

from what I could find, this seems to be the Asian variant. In Japan it is called nanohana. I had always assumed it was the same but I have never seen broccoli raab in the US and looking at pictures I found it does look a little different.

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Kristen,

Cool!

Yes, I believe that is it. I can't belive how fast you found it.

I'll have to investigate, some of the websites call it "rape" or "rapeseed". I guess it must just be a different variety than I am used to.

Thanks!

-Erik

[torakris]

Did it look more like this?

-snip-

from what I could find, this seems to be the Asian variant. In Japan it is called nanohana. I had always assumed it was the same but I have never seen broccoli raab in the US and looking at pictures I found it does look a little different.

←

Kristen,

Cool!

Yes, I believe that is it. I can't belive how fast you found it.

I'll have to investigate, some of the websites call it "rape" or "rapeseed". I guess it must just be a different variety than I am used to.

Thanks!

-Erik

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I just happened to have some in my refrigerator for dinner tonight. I love this stuff!

If you pick up some more or regular broccoli raab try this recipe:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/106236

It is really great! As I scrolled down to see the review I realized it was from me. I don't even remember doing that I never post to websites......

[racheld]

Here ya go with the crosnes.

My sister's country place has a big patch of them that we dig up. It is sort of like a treasure hunt. We call the plant woundwort but it is the same thing. They are great in salads. I don't like to ruin the texture by cooking so we always eat them raw.

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They look like little beads on a string. Do you peel them?

And HOW?

[cluvy]

hello!

I absolutely know what is that weird vegetable.

it's called "lao huang gua"(translated from chinese =old yellow melon)

it's actually an asian vegetable. it's just and old cucumber really.

We asians usually use them in soups.

yup.I hope this helps.

[Milagai]

In Japan they often either salt it, blanch it or use high heat. When I first started cooking with it I did all three. Now I love the bitterness and don't bother, but I do usually cook it over high heat as that is how the recipes are usually done.

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Bitter melon is very common in India too (called Karela or Paavakkai, regionally).

Considered very medicinal and apparently there is emerging

scientific research showing how this veg does good things for blood sugar

levels though I know next to nothing about these things.

Cooked in many of the ways described above, sliced thin and salted and

rinsed, sauteed, with tomatoes etc. Or deep fried until crisp and salted

and red-chillied and something sour added.

It's an acquired taste, but great once acquired.

Now I have to get me some.....

No-one else in the family will eat it......

All for me, bwahahahahaha!

Milagai

Edited March 14, 2006 by Milagai (log)

[Adam Balic]

I picked up a flowering mustard relative that looked similar to broccoli raab at the grocery store the other day.

When I got it home, I noticed it was actually pretty different from broccoli raab.

It was leafy, like broccoli raab, with small flowering heads.

However, instead of being serrated, the leaves were entire.

Also, broccoli raab usually has distinct leaves and petioles (leaf stalks).  On this vegetable, the leaves went all the way down the length of the sides of the petiole and actually wrapped around the stem.

Didn't take a picture, sorry.

Flavor was bitter and close to broccoli raab.

Anyone have any idea what it might have been?

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Did it look more like this?

from what I could find, this seems to be the Asian variant. In Japan it is called nanohana. I had always assumed it was the same but I have never seen broccoli raab in the US and looking at pictures I found it does look a little different.

←

"Nanohana" means "Canola" (rape/rapeseed in the UK). I assume a different form of the plant then is grown for the seeds to produce oil as these would be very tough.

[saltshaker]

hello!

I absolutely know what is that weird vegetable.

it's called "lao huang gua"(translated from chinese =old yellow melon)

it's actually an asian vegetable. it's just and old cucumber really.

We asians usually use them in soups.

yup.I hope this helps.

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Cool Cluvy, thanks! Does it just get left on the plant to get older and have the skin get leathery? I would think if so, or if done off the plant, it would get mushy and spoil...?

[Alchemist]

I got this out in Jackson Heights after a wonderful lunch at Jackson Diner. I believe it's called Indian Karela, or bitter melon. The outside is rubbery, and delicate.

edited for ludditism

Edited April 3, 2006 by Alchemist (log)

[torakris]

In Japanese it is called goya (Okinawan name) or nigauri (Japanese name literally 'biter gourd').

One of my favorites!

I posted a white version earlier in the hread.

[Daddy-A]

This may not be strange for some of you, but I damn near drove my shopping buggy into the wall when I saw this:

Sorry for the blurry picture (Treo 650) but it's an ORANGE CAULIFLOWER! Also listed but not in stock was a PURPLE caulifower.

Is this sort of thing common where you are?

A.

[cluvy]

hello!

I absolutely know what is that weird vegetable.

it's called "lao huang gua"(translated from chinese =old yellow melon)

it's actually an asian vegetable. it's just and old cucumber really.

We asians usually use them in soups.

yup.I hope this helps.

←

Cool Cluvy, thanks! Does it just get left on the plant to get older and have the skin get leathery? I would think if so, or if done off the plant, it would get mushy and spoil...?

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sorry for this very very very late reply. I've been too busy with school and stuff. Yup. You're right. It just stays on the plant for a longer time till it turns brown and all.

[duckduck]

This may not be strange for some of you, but I damn near drove my shopping buggy into the wall when I saw this:

Sorry for the blurry picture (Treo 650) but it's an ORANGE CAULIFLOWER!  Also listed but not in stock was a PURPLE caulifower.  

Is this sort of thing common where you are?

A.

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Yeah, it is fairly common here in Portland. The orange and purple together are a stunning sight when you walk into a produce section of the market. I love bright colors. I find the purple to be a bit milder than the normal white. I haven't tried the orange yet because I have a thing for purple and two heads of cauliflower is a lot of cauliflower for just me. I wonder if the orange color holds up after cooking? Raw, they would make a beautiful veggie platter for the holidays.

[chardgirl]

Purple and Orange cauliflowers are fairly common at farmers market here in the SF Bay area of California. This variety is called 'graffiti', and another BRIGHT orange one is called 'cheddar'

[saskanuck]

That purple cauliflower is gorgeous. Does it stay so pretty when it's cooked? We only get boring old white cauliflower here.

[Rocklobster]

That purple cauliflower is gorgeous.  Does it stay so pretty when it's cooked?  We only get boring old white cauliflower here.

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It gets bright blue when cooked... like indigo blue... its fairly disturbing

Heres a mega huge artichoke i found at the los angeles central market...the guy was about the size of a human head.

Visit the TestKitchen

[KarenSherwood]

I'm so glad I found this, it may be the only place where someone might actually appreciate my garden monster. This is an Armenian Ivory cucumber, courtesy of seeds from Cook's Garden. I planted two innocent-looking vines which proceeded to conquer an entire 4x12 foot bed, strangling everything in their paths except for a purple sage. These buggers go from a simple pear-shaped fruit in one day to this obscene monster two days later. My kiddo swears I'm growing weapons in the backyard. Oh, and that's a normal 7-8" bunch of bananas for comparison.

[Kim Shook]

We just started carrying these little fellows in the store today. They are called buddha hands, but I think they look like chicken feet. Apparently you use the zest for flavoring, but as they are $10 a piece, I will have to pass on that . Kim

[Kouign Aman]

Buddha's hands are supposed to smell especially fragrant. Do they?

I'm thinking of hunting down a tree and planting it if so.

[Kouign Aman]

Saw this beauty on another thread:

water caltrops

[Kim Shook]

Saw this beauty on another thread:

water caltrops

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those things scare me a little.

[Tepee]

This is not a sausage. It is, according to the young man who sold it to me, a cucumber.

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Hi

Pix of soup made with old cucumber

[Sararwelch]

I bought a buddha's hand recently. At $7.50/lb, mine came out to about $5. It smelled wonderful, but the zest was really bitter. I tried to candy some of it, and couldn't get the bitterness out, even with multiple rinsings. I also froze some of the raw zest to use for baking, maybe it will be better in a cake or muffins or something.