try 5 new vegetables

While visiting Seattle, Roxi talked us into going for some bubble tea. There were many options to choose from and I went with taro because it was on my list of vegetables to try. Taro is actually the base for poi, so I’ll revisit it when I fly to Hawaii next year to complete my 50 states goal.

The coolest thing about taro is that it’s actually toxic when raw due to the presence of calcium oxalate. This substance is removed either through cooking or by steeping the roots in cold water overnight. It’s also known as kalo, gabi, dalo, seppankizhangu, arvee, and karkalo.

When I first adopted the Try 10 new vegetables goal, this was one of the ones that I had targetted. Also known as Broad Beans, Field Beans, Faba Beans, Bell Beans, Horse Beans and Tic Beans, this species of bean is native to north Africa and southwest Asia.

My grandmother remembered them fondly and suggested that the local Italian market would stock them, but they didn’t. I finally found them in cans in a large metropolitan area, but have since discovered that they are a prime component of falafel (which is something I’ve never tried, but could’ve to get a taste of these beans).

Health warning, people on MAO inhibitors should avoid these beans because they are rich in tyramine. On the other hand, they also are rich in L-dopa which is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s. (L-dopa is also used as a natural alternative to Viagra.)

The beans were large in size, double the size of large lima beans. Their coloration and taste was similar to kidney beans, though they were coarser but not pasty like lima beans. I can definitely see that they would go well with liver and a nice chianti, but again all three of those should be avoided by people on MAO inhibitors.

I would definitely eat them again if I encountered them, but they just aren’t available where I live.

Also known as Mexican potato and Mexican turnip, this edible tuberous root is creamy white in color with a crisp texture that resembles raw potato or pear. The flavor is sweet and starchy, reminiscent of some apples or raw green beans.

When I was in Cancun, jicama was on the salad bar. It looked to me like the hearts of pineapple, and mom wondered if it was heart of palm. I told her it wasn’t that since it wasn’t round. We found out later that it was jicama. It was crunchy and didn’t have a lot of flavour to it, but I enjoyed eating it because I like crunchy foods.

I would definitely eat this vegetable again.

Also known as azuki or adzuki beans, these red beans are of Asian ancestory. They are commonly eaten sweetened, or turned into red bean paste (an). This paste is used in Chinese foods like tanguyan, zongzi, mooncakes, baozi and red bean ice. It’s also found as a filling for Japanese sweets such as anmitsu, taiyaki and daifuku. When boiled with sugar, lotus seeds and orange peel, it produces red bean soup.

I just opened the can and added the beans to a salad tonight. They tasted similar to refried beans, and even with the seaweed they didn’t really have a sweet flavor to me.

I would eat them again, as they’re basic beans.