csdf

Bear with me...

So the supermarkets have lots of relatively "western" vegetables - tomatoes, carrots, broccoli - that heretofore have been mainstays of my cooking but are relatively tasteless and probably greenhouse grown.

On the other hand, the supermarkets also have lots of weird and wonderful vegetables from the eastern hemisphere that I'm not used to seeing. Spiky cucumbery things, papery globular appley things, star-shaped green things. Apart from the fact that they all tend to look like weapons rather than food, do any of you have some recommendations so that I can expand my cuisine and cook food that actually tastes of something?

TGFKASE

Dunno about veggies, since Im Scottish, but a cracking fruit I found, thanks to a Russian acquaintance, is the Mangostine (sp?)...

Millhouse

Mangostines are great. There are also some great little orange things (look like Apricots), no idea what they called but are lovely - bit like a gooseberry (in taste).

avoid the spiky cucumber things. They are known to the pinoys as bitergauard and they are... bitter.

Have you met Ethos yet?

edit - they are called kumquats

TGFKASE

Who? Me or csdf?

Bahtatboy

The spiky cucumber things are really good for...something (might be blood pressure, can't remember). Juice the insides, pull a really sour face, and drink. Still got two in my fridge which I haven't quite got round to dealing with.

Millhouse

csdf - he wanted to be introduced to a vegetable.

Ethos83

Oi!

I have seen some of the scaly things at the market but wouldn't know how to go about peeling them. Come to think of it, despite travels throughout SE Asia I also haven't encountered anything unusual in any of the dishes I ate.

What about aubergines? My standard week dish is to chop up a bunch of cauliflowers, aubergines and peppers, toss with a bit of oil, roast for about half a hour, open a tin or two of crushed tomatoes (waitrose's organics, naturally) and pour over the medly and bake for another twenty or so minutes. Serve with couscous and a side of boiled frozen peas.

Works well and keeps me thin.

Roadking

hahaha!

Forsu

A) Bitter gourds are excellent for their medicinal properties. http://www.ayurbalance.com/explore_foodbittergourd.htm

Lightly steam or blanche it, cut in half, scrape out the seeds and then slice into thin strips, sauté in a bit of oil and butter, salt to taste, squeeze of lemon… and there you are… not so bitter really. Of course, you can spice 'em up with turmeric and chili, too.

B) Okra: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okra

Ensure that you buy the tender ones. Chop and discard both ends, slice and fry well. Sauté some onion, add the fried okra, chuck in a bouillon, a teeny bit of water, if necessary. Cook for 5 - 10 mins.

seven seas

Or better yet, stick to the same old veggies but don't boile them for more than ten minutes.

Or just don't boile them at all. fry instead.

I know about that typo but it looks funny.

csdf

For the horto-gastronomically inclined, this week's Abu Dhabi Week has a picture guide to some weird and wonderful vegetables, including the spiky cucumber weapon. Coincidence? Or is an ADW journalist a secret forum reader?

mission

what the eff bogus kind of thread is this!!??

go get a frigging cookery book.

Eva

AR might not be on the waterfront but you defo are a contender....
for funniest post of the year.
Spikey cucumbers?...Interesting.

Bahtatboy

Or alternatively start a thread on the premise that you'd be interested in knowing the consequences of a) admitting to your bank that you couldn't pay your debts or b) doing a runner and not losing any sleep over it. Except that you'd already decided that anyone who wouldn't do b) is a douche bag. I dunno what sort of vegetable that makes you, but a vegetable nonetheless.

A radish, perhaps?

Millhouse