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Pak choi & mini pak choi
Also known as Chinese chard, Chinese Mustard, celery mustard and Bok choy.
Both full size and mini Pak Choi leaves are delicious when fried with mushrooms or bamboo shoots, although smaller varieties tend to be the tenderest. Pak Choi can be eaten raw, but is best briefly cooked.
High in vitamins A and C.
Pomelo
Also known as shaddock and lusho fruit.
This southeast Asian citrus fruit holds the title as the largest in the genus. It varies between pale green and yellow when ripe with a sweet white or sometimes pink flesh that is protected by a thick rind. Often weighing in at around 1.5kilograms, the pomelo tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit with none of the bitterness. Sprinkle with salt to bring its flavours alive in a salad. Great source of vitamin C.
Pitaya
Also known as dragon fruit.
Tsi kwa
Also known as the hairy melon, winter gourd and fuzzy gourd.
Fuzzy when young, but gradually maturing into a fruit with a waxy coating, Tsi kwa is best eaten young when it offers a sweet flesh. In countries such as Vietnam and China it is used in soups and stews, primarily with beef or pork.
Good levels of vitamin C, fibre, calcium and other essential minerals.
Taro
Also known as malangas, arrow root, dasheen and
cocoyam.
A root vegetable used by many different cultures, the natural sugars in taro impart a sweet, nutty flavour in dishes. It is used in much the same way as potato and must be thoroughly cooked prior to eating.
Exceptional amounts of fibre and good levels of essential minerals.
Water Caltrop
Also known as water chestnut, buffalo nut, bat nut and devil pod.
These ornate seeds, bore of an aquatic plant that grows in slow moving water in temperate parts of Asia and Africa, are starchy with similar tastes to chestnuts.
Rich in a range of essential minerals.
Ya pear
Also known as Chinese white pear.
These northern China natives are known for their delicately crunchy, juicy flesh. Their taste is described as a blend of rose and pineapple. They are typically used as the first fruits given to young children and are believed to hold hypoallergenic qualities and many antioxidants.
Good source of vitamin C and copper.
This is a beautiful pink red fruit with a white or sometimes pink flesh and lipid rich pips that produce dazzling flowers. The flesh, which is eaten raw, is mildly sweet and low in calories, while the seeds have a nutty taste, but are indigestible unless chewed thoroughly. Its flowers can be eaten or steeped as tea.
Strong sources of fibre, vitamins B and C, omega-3 and lycopene.
Radish
Also known as daikon and mooli.
The green and white radishes of Asia have many of the qualities of the carrots that Europeans are familiar with. They are almost tasteless in flavour yet help to provide substance to a dish. Whether used seasoned in salads or with a vinaigrette dressing to accompany sashimi, these radish shouldn’t be used with overtly strong flavours.
Good levels of fibre, essential minerals and vitamin C.
Sweet potato
Also known as yam.
A creamy tuber with flavours varying between sweet and slightly picante. Sweet potatoes can come with a range of coloured flesh, from orange to purple, white and yellow. They hail from tropical climates all around the world and their used reflect this diversity; mash, bake, roast, add to risottos or soups. The sweet potato is one of the most nutritionally rich vegetables.
Exceptional levels of vitamins A and C as well as fibre.
Left to right: Pomelo, Pitaya, Sweet potato.
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