PRODUCT INFO Lotus stem (Sai Bua) are the edible parts of the lotus flower which is found under water. It is usually crunchy and is fairly sweet and has a flavor like water chestnut. It has a delicate flavor. Almost all parts of the plant like the root, young flower stalks, seeds, etc. are edible. The stem is lime green in color with a whitish flesh. Store it in the refrigerator; it lasts for about a week. Lotus stem is very healthy being a great source of dietary fiber. It contains minerals like copper, iron, zinc, magnesium and manganese. It boosts the production of red blood cells. It has a high content of vitamin C which helps to protect our body from scurvy and increases immunity. USES Lotus stem is eaten raw when added in salads. Its salad along with pork and prawns is a delicacy in many popular cultures. Lotus stem curry is prepared by boiling or stir-frying the stem. The curry is a good accompaniment for rotis and rice. SEASONS Lotus stem is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Finger grass is a branching herb comprised of straight, hollow stems and elongated lanceolate to elliptical leaves that grow in an opposite formation around the cylindrical stems. The leaves are slender, tapering to a point, and average 2 to 6 centimeters in length and .5 to 1 centimeter in width. The grey-green leaves are also smooth to the touch, thin, and pliable with finely serrated edges. The stems are thick in appearance but have a hollow center, creating a smooth, crisp, and watery texture. The pale green stems also have a light, succulent, and spongy consistency, lightly coated in fine hairs. Finger grass emits a refreshing, citrus, and herbal aroma and the stems and leaves have a vegetal, citrusy, and earthy, spice-filled flavor. Some consumers recognize the leaves as having a bright and acidic quality, filled with undertones of sweet cumin and curry flavor mixed with notes of lemon and dill. In addition to the leaves and stems, Finger grass seasonally produces tubular flowers that showcase pale pink, purple, to light blue hues. USES Finger grass has a bright, complex flavoring mainly used as a fresh finishing element on savory main dishes. The leaves should be washed and gently torn, chopped, or crushed to release their flavor, and they can be sprinkled into salads, minced into dips and marinades, or used as an edible garnish for roasted meats, light sauces, or grain dishes. In Southeast Asia, finger grass is frequently used in Vietnamese cuisine and Cambodian and Thai cuisine on a smaller scale. The leaves are traditionally served fresh in the center of the dinner table, along with other herbs and raw vegetables. These accompaniments are added to curries, stews, and soups such as pho, and each guest can determine how much of each herb is incorporated into their dish for custom flavor combinations. Finger grass can also be sauteed or steamed as a simple side dish or the stems can be roughly chopped and added to stir-fries. While more untraditional, some mixologists in Southeast Asia have begun muddling finger grass into a refreshing cocktail to modernize the herb. In Cambodia, finger grass is placed on the roof of houses and dehydrated for extended use as a dried herb. Finger grass pairs well with meats including poultry, beef, pork, and fish, other herbs such as lemongrass, basil, and mint, steamed rice, lemon, lime, bell peppers, peas, broccoli, water spinach, carrots, and peanuts. Whole, unwashed Finger grass is highly perishable and will only keep for a few days in the refrigerator when loosely wrapped in plastic or a damp paper towel. The herb should be used immediately for the best quality and flavor. Season Finger grass are available year-round in Southeast Asia.
PRODUCT INFO Green Thai papayas widely vary in size, ranging from 15-50 centimeters in length and 10-20 centimeters in diameter, and are oval and elongated in shape. The thin skin is smooth, slightly waxy, firm, and green. Underneath the surface, the flesh is crisp, white with pale green edging, and dense with a central seed cavity filled with white pith and many inedible seeds. When raw, Green Thai papayas are crunchy with a very mild and neutral taste similar to the flavor of jicama or cucumber. Green Thai papayas are a good source of vitamins A and C and also contain folate, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Green Thai papayas are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as boiling or sauteing. The fruits are most well-known for their use in som tan, which is a Thai salad that mixes Green Thai papaya with fish sauce, lime, chile, garlic, and varying vegetables. Green Thai papaya can also be added to stews, pickled for extended use, grated, fried, and mixed with small shrimp to make okoy, or cooked into sour curries such as gaeng som. In Thailand, Green papaya is also blended into soups and is heavily spiced with chiles as the fruit has minimal flavor and showcases other spices. Green Thai papaya pairs well with long beans, carrots, daikon radish, chiles, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, green onions, shallots, turmeric, and peanuts. The unripe fruits will keep for a couple of days at room temperature but will then begin to ripen. Once ripe, papayas will keep up to one week when stored in the refrigerator. USES In Thailand, papaya is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties and is used medicinally to help cleanse the digestive system. The leaves and sap are also used in traditional medicine to reduce the itchiness of insect bites and general swelling in the body. In addition to topical use, dried leaves are commonly steeped into a tea and are believed to stimulate digestion. Elongated papaya varieties are often seen in markets sold in slender pieces, stored over ice, so locals can buy the pieces daily as needed. Many Thai families also grow papaya in their home gardens to utilize the fruits, leaves, and sap year-round in medicinal and culinary applications. Season Green Thai papayas are available year-round in tropical climates.
PRODUCT INFO Garden peas have a large bright green pod which encases plump, round peas or berries. The pods grow on vines and unlike snow and sugar snap peas are too fibrous to be edible. Pods must be shelled first by snapping off the end and pulling the fibrous string along the length of the pod. Each pod contains five to eight emerald hued peas. Peas have a tender yet slightly crunchy texture and a sweet pea flavor. For best flavor prepare or freeze peas soon after they are harvested, the high sugar content of the peas begin to convert to starch as soon as the peas are picked from the vine.Fresh garden peas are rich in vitamin A and vitamin B (particularly folic acid), calcium, iron, zinc, and potassium. In addition they contain protein and fiber as well as lutein which has been shown to promote healthy vision. They also contain phytonutrients which have anti-inflammatory properties and can aid in the prevention of diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. To best preserve nutrients use peas raw or prepare steamed or stir-fried. USES A versatile vegetable, fresh garden peas are sweet and tender enough to be eaten raw but may also be prepared cooked. Shelled peas can be blanched and pureed to make a spread or dip. Add raw peas to green and grain salads. Their sweet, fresh flavor will complement rich pasta and risotto as well as spicy curries and soups. The shells of garden peas can be used to add flavor to vegetable stock. For best flavor and texture wait to shell peas till you are ready to use them. Peas can also be shelled and frozen, dried or canned for future use. Season A peak season in spring through early summer, garden pea are available year-round with sporadic gaps in availability throughout the year.
PRODUCT INFO Melon Cucumber Laithai are used as fresh vegetables as well as cucumbers. It is commonly eaten fresh as a dipping vegetable. It tastes like cucumber but has a firmer texture (less water). It is also used in salads and curries as well as cucumbers. Including being able to pickle as a pickled melon as well, preferably pickled to have a sweet and slightly salty taste than pickled sour. USES Ripe Melon Cucumber Laithai are eaten in desserts or eaten as a fruit by blending melons into a drink. Thai melon blended or mixed with coconut milk. Besides making sweets Ripe melons can also be eaten directly like watermelons, but they are not as popular as watermelons because they are not as sweet. Including not as popular as melon (cantaloupe) because the taste is not as sweet and the meat is more messy.As usual, we usually eat melons cooked with coconut milk and called Thai melons. Or eat it with white sugar, it's delicious, but no matter how you eat it, melon has outstanding properties to treat disease. such as coughing from tuberculosis, constipation, and urinary tract infections, thus helping to alleviate such symptoms and diseases and have the opportunity to eventually recoverThe smell and taste of fresh Thai melon is also suitable for making Thai melon juice because it is easy to make, good smell and taste, beautiful color, high nutritional value. Because it is very high in vitamin A, it also contains a lot of vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, etc. Season Melon Cucumber Laithai produces a good yield during From July to September, Thai melons can be planted in all regions of Thailand.
PRODUCT INFO Young kratin can be classified as vegetables, herbs, and economic plants. Because the tops, flowers and pods can be eaten as food. used in medicinal used as a feed ingredient including wood that can be used as a raw material for paper production in the industry Making crutches, used wood, and used as fuel USES Young kratin, young pods and seeds are edible as vegetables. The top leaves are eaten with chili paste, papaya salad or oyster salad. The young Isan seeds are used to mix in papaya salad or eat with papaya salad. Southerners use young seeds and young leaves to eat with oysters. Season Young kratin is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Yardlong bean should be picked young while it is at its most crisp, sweet and tender. Young beans develop within sixty days of cultivation, and the long pods grow in pairs from the stem. Known for their extraordinary length beans can grow up to thirty inches in length but for best flavor and texture should be harvested when between twelve and eighteen inches. The bean pods have a spindly, cylindrical form with a smooth, grooved, firm texture and green-colored shell. The bean pod's flesh contains succulent, pale, lime green peas (the plant's seeds) with eyes similar in shape to black eyed peas. If beans are allowed to fully mature, they can be shelled and the seeds used as other shelled beans and peas. The flavor of China Long beans is grassy and slightly sweet with a more intense bean flavor than traditional green beans. Of all the China Long bean varieties the green is known to be the sweetest and most tender. Yardlong bean are an incredible vegetarian source for nutrition. They are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, protein, fiber, folate, magnesium, thiamin, potassium, and iron. USES Yardlong bean should be very fresh when purchased. When young and tender they can be used raw and are a welcome addition to green and grain salads. Unlike conventional green beans China Long beans tend to get waterlogged when boiled or steamed so when preparing in this method be sure to only do so for a short duration. Their texture will be most favorable when they are stir-fried, sauted, grilled, dry-fried, or deep-fried. China Long beans can also be preserved and pickled. Pair with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, bitter or spicy Asian greens, Sichuan peppercorns, black bean sauce, hot peppers, oyster sauce, curry spice, beef, pork and chicken. China Long beans will keep, dry and refrigerated. For best flavor and texture use within three to four days before beans become wilted and floppy. SEASON Yardlong beans are available year-round with a peak season in the summer and fall months.
PRODUCT INFO Thai taro corms widely vary in appearance, depending on cultivation time, soil, and climate. The corms are generally small to medium in size, averaging 12 to 13 centimeters in length, and are round to oblong in shape. Each taro plant produces one central corm, and the cormâ??s variegated dark to light brown skin is rough with an uneven, scaly texture comprised of faint horizontal rings and fiber-like hairs. Underneath the surface, the flesh is dense, dry, and starchy, primarily white with subtle purple speckling. Thai taro must be cooked, developing a smooth, thick, sticky, and semi-fluffy consistency. The flesh has a mild, earthy, sweet, nutty, and subtly musky flavor. In addition to the corms, the plants produce large dark green heart-shaped leaves on long stems, connecting into the corms. The young leaves are edible when cooked, providing a vegetal, grassy, and green flavor. USES Thai taro is an excellent source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, vitamin E to protect the cells against free radical damage, potassium to balance fluid levels, and vitamin C to strengthen the immune system while reducing inflammation. The corms also provide copper to develop connective tissues, calcium and phosphorus to build strong bones and teeth, magnesium to regulate nerve functioning, and other amounts of B vitamins, iron, zinc, vitamin K, and manganese. In addition to the corms, Thai taro leaves are a rich source of vitamin K to assist in faster wound healing, vitamin C to boost the immune system, and other nutrients, including iron, calcium, vitamins A and E, magnesium, and vitamin B2 SEASON Thai taro is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Winter melon are large fruits, averaging 15 to 80 centimeters in length, and have a bulbous, round to oblong shape with blunt, curved ends. The melons are covered in a thin but tough, light to dark green skin, often enveloped in a textured, chalky layer of wax, depending on the variety. Young Winter melons also bear a pale, fuzzy coating of hair that disappears as the fruit matures. Underneath the hard surface, the flesh is thick, firm, aqueous, and white, encasing a large central cavity filled with pithy membranes and cream-colored oval seeds. The seeds are edible once cooked and have a nutty, neutral taste. Winter melons are not typically consumed raw and contain a mild, vegetal, and subtly grassy flavor reminiscent of a watermelon rind or cucumber. When cooked, the flesh becomes transparent and softens, absorbing accompanying flavors. USES Winter melons are an excellent source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system and fiber to stimulate and regulate the digestive tract. The fruits also provide antioxidants to protect the body against environmental aggressors, magnesium to maintain healthy nerve functioning, phosphorus and calcium to promote strong bones and teeth, and contain lower amounts of folate, zinc, and iron. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Winter melons are viewed as a cooling or yin ingredient and are used to reduce inflammation and balance the body through their alkaline properties. SEASON Winter melons are available year-round, with a peak harvest in the late summer through fall.
PRODUCT INFO Wing beans are lime green and elongated with a square shape and four feathery, winged accents running from tip to end like the tail of an arrow. The pods are straight or curved with a smooth and waxy surface. They can grow up to 30 centimeters long but are usually harvested at 10 and 15 centimeters, before the peas have fully developed. Wing beans are sweet, like many pea varieties, and offer an asparagus-like flavor and crunchy texture. Wing beans are an excellent source of copper, iron, manganese, tryptophan, and the essential amino acid isoleucine. They are also rich in protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, all of the essential B-complex vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and potassium. The pods, leaves and roots all contain a similar nutrient makeup. USES Wing beans are most often cooked. Young pods can be eaten raw in salads, sliced very thinly, or lightly blanched. They are prepared like French beans or snap peas by pinching off the ends and cutting into bite-sized sections. Use in stir-frys, sautes or add to soups and stews towards the end of the cooking process. The delicate pods pick up the bold flavors of chiles, garlic and spices. Young pods can be pickled. Mature beans are halved, and their seeds prepared and eaten like soybeans. Dried seeds can be ground and used as a flour substitute. Store Wing beans in a bag or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. SEASON Wing beans are available in the late spring and through the fall months.
PRODUCT INFO Water Mimosa is a wetland plant which has a taproot that attaches to edges of water bodies, such as rivers and banks. The plant produces long, woody, brown-purple stems which can grow to 1.5 meters in length. They have a spongy, fibrous white covering at the nodes. This covering, called an aerenchyma, is an air-conducting tissue. It allows the stems, which grow in a dense, interwoven manner, to be bouyant and float on the top of the water. From the stems grow branches, which bear small, olive green leaves that grow separately, in opposite pairs. The leaves are oblong in shape, and measure arond 4 to 14 millimeters in length, to 1 to 3 millimeters in breadth. Stems have of 8 to 40 pairs of leaves, which grow to create an attractive feathery effect. They are slightly toothsome, and have a texture akin to kangkong. They have a strong mushroom-like umami taste with a hint of cabbage flavor. Water Mimosa is considered to be a nutritious vegetable which is high in calcium and iron. It also contains vitamin A, vitamin C, protein and riboflavin. USES The young stems, shoots and leaves of Water Mimosa can be cooked and eaten in stir fries. Water Mimosa is most often cooked like kangkong, along with soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, chiles and garlic. It can also be found in recipes with noodles, minced chicken or fried fish. Store Water Mimosa in a loose bag in the refrigerator, where it will last for up to a week. SEASON Water Mimosa is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Yellow corn is a variety of sweet corn. Its ears are wrapped in tightly bound lime hued husks with silks and a tassel that extend out from the tip. The yellow kernels are packed in tight almost uniform rows. A single ear of corn can contain up to 400 kernels. Freshly harvested yellow corn at its peak ripeness is sweet, offering flavors of almond and sugar, the kernels so succulent, the skin pops as you bite into it. As the corn matures, the kernels lose their milky consistency giving way to a starchy and doughy consistency. At this point, the corn is considered a grain crop and is best suited for processing or feedstock. USES Yellow corn is a significant resource of Vitamin A. As corn kernels mutated from white to yellow, they acquired chemicals called cartenoids. Of these cartenoids is beta carotene, which produces Vitamin A. Very little attention has been emphasized on yellow corn's significant beta carotene levels until the early 21st Century. Yellow corn, easy to grow in developing regions of Africa and Latin America, where corn is heavily relied upon as a food source, could actually keep millions of children from going blind. Yellow corn is now being bred to have at least 10 times higher the amount of beta carotene than average sweet corn varieties. SEASON Yellow corn is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Baby corn (also known as young corn, cornlets or baby sweetcorn) is a cereal grain taken from corn (maize) harvested early while the stalks are still small and immature. It typically is eaten whole - cob included - in contrast to mature corn, whose cob is too tough for human consumption. It is eaten both raw and cooked. Baby corn is common in stir fry dishes. SEASON Baby corn can be produced all year round.
PRODUCT INFO The Zucchini squash has a uniformly cylindrical shape with little to no taper from its stem to blossom end. It can be harvested when it is at its baby stage or when more mature at up to six to eight inches long. Many growers and chefs note that Zucchini will be at its peak flavor and texture when five to six inches in length. The exterior glossy skin of the Zucchini is vibrant to dark green in color and delicate enough to consume. Summer squash such as Zucchini are harvested when immature for best flavor, as a result their skin is delicate and prone to easily bruising and scratching. Its flesh is creamy white in color with a spongy yet firm texture and faint traces of edible seeds. It offers a sweet summer squash flavor with nuances of black peppercorn and nutty undertones. In addition to the fruit of the Zucchini plant the flower blossoms of Zucchini are also edible and offer a mild, squash like flavor. Zucchini squash are a low caloric food and are nearly 94% water. Additionally they offer some vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron. USES Zucchini squash are mild in flavor, extremely versatile and can be prepared in sweet or savory recipes. Grate Zucchini and add squash to muffin or bread batter, or use to make vegetable pancakes and fritters. Thinly sliced Zucchini works well in salads or as part of a fresh (raw) appetizer such as vegetarian carpaccio. When sliced thinly lengthwise Zucchini squash can be an excellent substitute for conventional noodles in pasta preparations. Sliced Zucchini squash can be grilled, steamed, sauteed or battered and fried. Larger more mature squashes are perfectly sized for hollowing and baking when stuffed with meats, cheeses and grains. The Zucchini blossoms additionally can be stuffed with soft cheeses and herbs then battered and fried. The flavor and texture of Zucchini will complement a variety of ingredients such as tomatoes, garlic, corn, eggplant, fresh herbs such as parsley, basil and oregano, olive oil, pine nuts, eggs, citrus juice, sausage, roasted chicken and cheeses such as ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan. Zucchini squash will keep best when kept dry and refrigerated, for one to two weeks. Season Originally grown as a summer vegetable, Zucchini squash is suitable to forced cultivation in temperate climates and is available for harvest year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Asparagus grow to about 22 centimeters in length and 16 millimeters in diameter. Its deep pistachio-green stalks are tender at the tip and slightly woody and thick towards the end, and a slight purple blush often occurs around the stalk and throughout the conical tip. Asparagus' mildly grassy and sweet flavor matches that of its larger and smaller counterparts. Asparagus, botanically known as Asparagus officinalis, is a member of the Liliaceae family. Considered a perennial herb, asparagus has an underground rhizome from which its edible young stems, known as spears, emerge during the spring and summer months. Asparagus plants are either male or female, the females volunteer seeds while males do not. Having less energy spent on producing seeds creates a thicker, more flavorful stalk, driving higher demand for male asparagus. This demand for male asparagus has put new cultivars on the market bred to produce only male plants. These cultivars include Jersey Giant, Jersey Supreme and Jersey Knight and all are cost efficient. Season Asparagus is available year-round, with a peak season in spring.
- Native to the Mediterranean region and cultivated over three thousand years, celery is a biennial, herbaceous plant of the Umbelliferae, botanically named Apium graveolens. A member of the carrot family and related to anise, parsley and parsnips, celery was first recorded as a food plant in France in 1623. - Baby celery is hydroponically grown, with long, thin stalks and mature, full leaves. Similar in size to cilantro or parsley, baby celery has an intense celery flavor that is much stronger than that mature celery heads. The strong celery flavor is concentrated in the leaves, though the entire plant is edible. - Baby celery is not typically used as a substitute for mature celery because the stalks are small and thin. Use celery leaves in pestos, sauces, soups, salads or as an herb. Pair with carrots, mushrooms, asian vegetables, citrus, tomatoes, garlic and onion. Baby celery stalks may be used as an aromatic or chopped and combined with the leaves in cooked preparations. Refrigerate baby celery, keeping dry and well wrapped until ready to use. - Hydroponically grown baby celery is harvested year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Lettuce Mix is comprised of individual, medium sized leaves, measuring approximately 3 to 5 centimeters in length, and range in shape from flat, elongated, and oval to slightly curled, frilly, and deeply lobed. The leaves also vary in color from dark green to a deep red, burgundy hue. The leaves are tender, pliable, and crisp with a succulent texture, and have a clean, mild, and nutty flavor with a slightly bitter finish. USES Perfect bed for fresh fruit plates. Appetizer and veggie trays adore this MicroGreen's pretty presence. Attractive side salad for main entrrees. Season MicroGreen Gourmet Lettuce Mix is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO "Tom Yum Set" is sold containing a fresh lemongrass, fresh galangal, fresh red thai chiles, fresh kaffir lime leaves, ready to take home and cook up your own tom yum soup. USES "Tom yum" is a type of hot and sour Thai soup, usually cooked with shrimp (prawn). Tom yum has its origin in Thailand. "Tom yum" is characterised by its distinct hot and sour flavours, with fragrant spices and herbs generously used in the broth. The soup is also made with fresh ingredients such as lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, fish sauce, and crushed red chili peppers. The tom yum seasoning has been investigated as a potential functional food and a natural antimicrobial because of its kaffir lime leaf and red chili content.
PRODUCT INFO "Tom Kha Kai" is a spicy and sour hot soup with coconut milk in Thai cuisine. "Tom Kha Kai" is sold containing fresh lemongrass, fresh galangal, fresh kaffir lime leaves, fresh red thai chiles, fresh thai eggplant, fresh pea eggplant. USES In Thailand, most tom kha kai recipes typically include coconut milk, galangal (sometimes substituted with ginger), kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, Thai chili, coriander (or dill), straw mushrooms (or shiitake or other mushrooms), chicken, fish sauce, and lime juice. Fried chilies are sometimes added.
Beetroot
