PRODUCT INFO The pods of the Drumstick or Moringa tree are long, smooth-skinned, dark green, and three-sided. The pods, which can reach anywhere from 6 to 18 inches in length, are soft when mature and have bumps that run the length of the pod, revealing the seed nodes. Within the pods is a fleshy pulp and pea-sized seeds encased in wing-shaped hulls. The Drumsticks are tapered at each end. Moringa pods are bitter with a somewhat sweet taste; their muted flavor allows for a variety of seasoning options. Drumstick pods are rich in nutrients like iron, vitamin c, beta-carotene, copper and iodine. USES Young Drumstick pods are ready to eat when they snap apart when bent in half. If the pod is too old, it becomes fibrous and woody. Drumstick pods are typically prepared by cutting into one or two inch pieces and adding to soups, curries, and Sambhar. They are pickled, boiled, steamed, and fried. Drumsticks can be prepared much like green beans or asparagus. The pods can be sliced lengthwise and the pulp scooped out and eaten; in India this is a delicacy. SEASON Moringa Drumstick are available year-round in warmer, tropical regions.
PRODUCT INFO Neem plant (dok sa-dao) are local herbs and vegetables. It is a large protruding plant with a bouquet of flowers with a long peduncle. out at the tip of the branch with small flowers on the stem It is spherical, small, the petals are 5 petals, are off-white, with a long tube in the center. short peduncle It has a sweet, slightly bitter taste. Neem plant bloom in early winter. Native to India a tropical plant It has been cultivated in many countries in general. Many parts are used for use and medicinal properties. Used to treat many diseases. It has a bitter taste that many people like to use leaves, young shoots and flowers to eat. USES It has a bitter and oily taste is eaten as food. Contains nutrients that help the body's immune system Resist pathogens that exist around the body especially the flu. In addition to the benefits of food Almost every part of neem is still popularly used as medicine. The bark, leaves, branches, stems, flowers, fruits, seeds and even the roots of neem. SEASONS Neem plant (dok sa-dao) is available between Jan - Mar each year.
PRODUCT INFO Peteh beans (Sator) pods are medium to large in size, averaging 30-45 centimeters in length, and are long, wide, ribbon-like, and sometimes twisted in shape. The green pods grow in clusters on tall trees, and when immature, the pods are flat and almost translucent. As they mature, the seeds begin to form within the pod causing protrusions, and the pod becomes tough, hard, and vibrant green. Inside the pod, there is a cream-colored, slippery film that encases the seeds and each pod can hold 15-20 seeds. The seeds are pale green and are similar in size to almonds. Peteh beans have an unusual smell, often compared to natural gas, and are crisp, soft, and tender with a rich and pungent flavor. Peteh beans (Sator) contain fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin C, riboflavin, and thiamin. USES Peteh beans (Sator) are best suited for cooked applications such as roasting, stir-frying, deep-frying, and sauteing. When young, the pods do not contain fully developed seeds and can be used whole in stir-fries or consumed raw, pickled, or fried. When mature, Peteh beans must be peeled before cooking and can be boiled in coconut milk or stir-fried with shrimp, curry paste, garlic, and chilies. It can also be roasted in the pods and eaten similar to edamame. To remove the seeds, carefully use a sharp knife to cut the pod or scrape the outer layer off into a bowl. Peteh beans can be dried, causing the seeds to turn black, and stored for extended use, or the beans can be pickled in a sour brine, creating a slightly rubbery texture without the loss of flavor. Peteh beans pairs well with chilies, garlic, onions, turmeric, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, shrimp paste, oyster sauce, shrimp, beef, pork, or poultry, and rice. The beans will keep for a week when stored in a cool and dry place and will keep for a couple of months when fermented. SEASON Peteh Bean is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Thai pumpkins are medium to large in size, averaging 8 to 14 pounds, and have a flattened, round to ovate shape. The rind is deeply ribbed, textured, firm, and thin, sometimes covered in a powdery coating. When young, Thai pumpkins are dark green, covered in tan speckles and mottling, and as the pumpkin matures in storage, it transitions into to a uniform tan to light brown hue. Underneath the rind, the flesh is dense, bright orange-yellow, and has a drier consistency, encasing a small central cavity filled with ivory seeds and stringy fibers. Thai pumpkins develop a smooth, creamy, and soft texture when cooked and have a rich, sweet, and subtle, spice-like flavor.Thai pumpkins are a good source of vitamins A and C, which are antioxidants that strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation, and boost collagen production within the skin. The pumpkins also provide potassium to help balance fluid intake, manganese to activate enzymes in the body, and some fiber to stimulate the digestive tract. USES Thai pumpkins, botanically classified as Cucurbita moschata, are large, ridged fruits that grow on a vining plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. The name Thai pumpkin is a general descriptor used to encompass multiple varieties of pumpkins commonly grown in Thailand. Pumpkins have become a favored secondary crop in Thailand and are planted as an additional source of income. The thick-fleshed pumpkins are valued for their resistance to disease, high yields, large size, and easy-to-grow nature. Thai pumpkins are also being cultivated in the United States through exotic farms and in home gardens as a specialty variety. The main variety of Thai pumpkin that is cultivated in both Thailand and the United States is also known as Rai Kaw Tok. SEASON Thai pumpkins are available year-round in Thailand.
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 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 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 Coriander Root (Rak Phak Chi) is the root of the herb coriander, which is sometimes called cilantro. While many English-speaking countries discard the roots, they form an important part of many Asian cuisines. Coriander root is the fresh roots of the herb. Ground coriander is a mellow spice with a subtle, slightly earthy hint. Coriander root tastes more pungent and peppery and has a strong, pleasant aroma. In Thai food, coriander root is used as a critical component in many curry pastes and dips. Thais often crush coriander root in a pestle and mortar along with garlic and chilis to form the basis of chili dips. SEASON Coriander root is available year-round. USES The root is also a vitally important ingredient for creating the famous marinade that characterizes Thai grilled chicken. Thais are very against letting good food go to waste, and they quickly recognized that the roots taste great when they form the base of famous curry pastes, soups, dips, and marinades. SEASONS Coriander root is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO People use cilantro as a flavorsome addition to soups, salads, curries, and other dishes. In some parts of the world, cilantro refers to the leaves, and coriander refers to the seeds. Its nutritional content may provide a range of health benefits. It is a good source of antioxidants. Using cilantro to flavor food may encourage people to use less salt and reduce their sodium intake. All parts of the plant are edible, but people most commonly use the fresh leaves and dried seeds in cooking. SEASONS Coriander is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Bitter melons are small to medium gourds, averaging 6 to 30 centimeters in length, and have a long and slender, oblong shape with slightly tapered ends. The gourd's surface will vary depending on the specific type, ranging from deeply creased, smooth, pale green, and ridged to rough, dark green, and heavily textured with warts and bumps. The gourd's skin may also exhibit a waxy layer, and some rarer types of Bitter melon showcase a white hue. Underneath the thin skin, the flesh is crisp, watery, and pale green, encasing a central cavity filled with spongy pith and large, cream-colored seeds. Bitter melons are harvested when they are young and green, containing a sharp, astringent, and vegetal flavor. The gourds are also selected when they display a green coloring with a faint yellow hue, an indication of further maturity, rumored to contain a slightly milder, bitter, and acidic flavor. USES Bitter melons have an astringent, bitter flavor well suited for cooked preparations, including stir-frying, baking, saut�©ing, steaming, boiling, braising, and stewing. The melon's sharp flavor complements rich, fatty, and spicy ingredients and is often utilized in different culinary styles found within Asian cuisine. Bitter melons can be consumed raw, but the gourds should be deseeded, salted, and left for approximately 30 to 45 minutes to draw excess moisture and bitterness. Once the bitter flavor is lessened, the melons can be sliced for salads, chopped into dips and spreads, or blended into juices. Bitter melons are also traditionally blanched before use or salted to tame the astringent notes before cooking. The melons can be stirred into soups and curries, stuffed and baked as a main dish, stir-fried with vegetables and meat, or cooked and coated in rich sauces. Bitter melons can also be sliced and roasted as a simple side dish, cut and fried as a rice accompaniment, or pieces of the flesh can be dried and steeped as a healing and cleansing tea. In addition to the melons, the young leaves and shoots of the plants are edible and share the characteristic bitter flavor, used as an accent in salads and soups. Bitter melon pairs well with coconut milk, aromatics including lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and onions, chile peppers, tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, black beans, yogurt, pork, beef, and poultry, and seafood including fish, shrimp, crab, and scallops. Whole, unwashed Bitter melons will keep 3 to 5 days when wrapped in plastic or placed in a sealed container in the refrigerator's crisper drawer. SEASONS Bitter melons are available year-round, with a peak season in the summer.
PRODUCT INFO Purple eggplants are long and thin, averaging 15-20 centimeters in length and 5 centimeters in diameter. These fruits can be crooked or straight, and its thin outer skin ranges from violet to bright purple. The inner flesh is cotton white, semi-firm, and nearly seedless. Purple eggplants have a mild and sweet flavor without the bitterness associated with eggplant. USES Purple eggplants are best suited for cooked applications such as braising, stir-frying, sauteing and grilling. Their tender flesh cooks quicker than most Purple eggplant varieties, and its flavor and texture will be at its peak when baked. Stir-frying Purple eggplant is the most popular preparation method as the eggplant has a meaty and flavorful texture. Purple eggplant holds up well to spicy, sweet, and savory flavors. Complimentary ingredients include cumin, garlic, ginger, cilantro, fermented beans, chilies, soy sauce, vinegar, mushrooms, onions, sesame oil, chicken, pork, chickpeas, lentils, hardy greens, and summer vegetables such as tomatoes and squashes. Purple eggplant will keep up to one week when stored in a cool and dry place. SEASON Purple Eggplant is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Bottle Gourds are creeping vines. The dried mature fruit is used to make shake instruments. Young gourds have light green rinds, white flesh, soft, because they contain up to 96.8 percent of water. Young gourds can be eaten with the peel. If it's a bit older, it needs to be peeled off before cooking. and if you don't want the cut gourds to be dark Soak in salt water Young gourds are usually blanched to eat with chili paste. Add to kaeng liang, som kang, or stir-fry with meat. But should not be boiled or fried for a long time because the meat will be messy. USES The old gourds have a thick peel. The outer bark turns creamy white and hard. The flesh is dry until hollow, light weight, cut off the pole and remove the seeds for planting. The hard bark also has many uses, including: The Chinese use it as a portable water container. It is also considered as a symbol of auspiciousness. It is believed that it will help money grow, have good fortune, and that the gourd is shaped like the number eight. Therefore used to solve feng shui as well. Some African tribes cut it in half and use it as a food container. SEASONS Bottle Gourd is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Small purple eggplant has both spherical and oval shapes. Properties of small purple eggplant no matter what color it is useful in many ways, for example, it is beneficial for diabetics because small purple eggplant contains substances that help strengthen the function of glucose, help drive parasites, help digestion, which helps the system. Excreted as well, in Small purple eggplant contains substances that are active against the growth of colon and liver cancer, help treat asthma, relieve bronchitis, lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood lipids. If anyone wants to lose weight, you can choose to eat eggplant to cook or eat fresh. USES Small Purple Eggplant Ingredients In addition to providing beautiful and appetizing colors It is also beneficial to the body as well. SEASONS Small Purple Eggplant is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Kale is a non-heading, leafy form of wild cabbage that comes in a range of shapes, sizes, and colors, such as blue-green, yellow-green, white, red, or purple. Different cultivars are classified by differences in their stem length and their leaf structure, as some are flat and others are frilly. The standard Kale we usually find in the grocery store is pale to deep green with large, ruffle-edged leaves and long stems. It is hardy and fibrous when fully mature, and tender enough to be used as a raw salad green when young. The pale green stems are tough and typically removed, while the tightly curled leaves are chewy yet succulent. Depending on the variety, Kale can sometimes be spicy, other times a bit sweet, and usually slightly bitter. In general, Kale offers an earthy flavor with a nutty sweetness that is accentuated when cooked. USES Considering its many forms and stages of harvest, Kale is an incredibly versatile green in the kitchen, and can be used raw or cooked. Young Kale leaves add an earthy flavor to raw salad green mixes, and fully mature Kale is one of the few leafy greens that doesn't shrink much when it's cooked. It's great sauteed, roasted, stewed, and even baked into Kale chips. Just be careful not to over-cook it, as it can develop a more bitter taste. Kale is also often added raw to smoothies, juices, and salads. To prep Kale for use, whether raw or cooked, first remove the tough and fibrous stems. A quick and dirty way to do it is to hold the stem in one hand and strip leaves along the stem away from you. You can also cut the leaves into thin, confetti-like ribbons. A quick massage can help the process of breaking up the cellulose structure of Kale. You can drizzle it with olive oil, salt, and lemon juice, and rub the leaves together in your hands to get a slightly sweeter, much silkier Kale. This leafy green pairs well with garlic, onion, sesame, soy sauce, ginger, smoked or roasted meats, potatoes, grains, oregano, thyme, red pepper, cream, Parmesan cheese, and more. To store Kale, wrap the leaves in a loose bundle with a paper towel or a thin cotton kitchen towel, place them in a large, sealable bag, and refrigerate in the crisper drawer for up to a week. SEASONS Kale is available year-round with a peak season in winter.
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 Thai eggplants can have an elongated, cylindrical shape to a small, globular shape, averaging 2-3 centimeters in diameter. The outer skin is smooth and glossy and ranges from dark green, light green, to white. The vivid green hues begin at the fruit's stem and then fade to a creamy white in a striping pattern. The inner flesh is pale green to white and contains many small, brown, edible seeds. Thai eggplants are crunchy and mild with a slightly bitter taste. USES Thai eggplants can be consumed in both raw and cooked applications such as grilling, frying, baking, pureeing, stewing, stuffing, and pickling. This eggplant is unique because unlike other eggplant varieties that require cooking, it can be used in raw preparations, such as salads and crudite. The seeds are edible but can be difficult to chew. In cooked applications, Thai eggplants are most commonly used in curries, and when cooked they become soft and soak up the sauce with ease. They can also be sliced and added to stir-fries or battered and fried into a tempura side dish. Thai eggplant pairs well with aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and onions, herbs such as basil, oregano, cilantro and parsley, nightshade family members including tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers, as well as coconut milk, soy sauce, shellfish, and poultry. Thai eggplants will keep up to three days when stored in a cool and dry place. SEASON Thai eggplants are available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Ivy gourd is a local vegetable with very high nutritional value. and what you see will be pleasing A health lover for sure is that ivy gourds contain beta-carotene. that reduces the rate risk of developing cancer and ischemic heart disease also provide calcium as well For those who have problems driving It's worth trying to eat because gourds contain fiber that helps the digestive system work well. Young shoots and young leaves of ivy gourds It is blanched and steamed as a dipping sauce with chili paste and used to cook as curry, vegetable soup. Some local villagers bring the young fruit of ivy gourds to pickle and eat it with chili paste or cook it as a curry. The young shoots of ivy gourds are a popular vegetable that Thai people eat. Available in fresh markets in every region of Thailand. USES The ivy gourds are also useful as follows: leaves, quenching heat poisoning, neutralizing fever, relieving heat, quenching boils, relieving burning pain, relieving itching, flowers, relieving itching, seeds, pounding mixed with coconut oil to cure scabies, vines, use the juice from the vine to drop the eyes to cure hay fever, red eyes, bruised eyes, watery eyes, eye inflammation. Detoxification, anti-inflammatory, brew with dizzy glass drinking water, roots, quench all poisons, cure blemish eyes, reduce fever, cure vomiting, latex, stem, leaf, root Cure diabetes, headache, eliminate all toxins SEASON Ivy gourd is available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Spring onions are comprised of small round to oval bulbs, averaging 2 to 5 centimeters in diameter, attached to a straight, layered stalk of overlapping leaves. The bulbs are smooth, firm, crisp, and succulent, found in bright white to red hues, depending on the variety. There may also be a cluster of fresh, flexible, and fine tan roots attached to the bulb's base. The slender, tubular leaves have a stiff, thick, and crunchy consistency and are hollow, bearing dark green hues on the edges and lightening to a pale green tone near the bulb. Spring onion bulbs contain sugars and are absent of the gases developed in more mature bulbs, creating a sweet and mild, mellow flavor. The leaves have a stronger taste and contribute herbaceous, pungent, and grassy nuances. USES Spring onions contain vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, and vitamin K to promote faster wound healing. The onions also provide calcium to protect bones and teeth, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, antioxidants to reduce inflammation, and other nutrients, including phosphorus, magnesium, and copper. Season Spring onions are available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO White eggplants are slightly curved and oblong, averaging 10-17 centimeters in length. The outer skin is smooth and bright white with one bulbous end that tapers slightly to a green calyx. The cream-colored inner flesh is dense with many, edible white seeds. When cooked, White eggplants are creamy and mild with a light sweet flavor. USES White eggplants are best suited for cooked applications such as sauteing pan-frying, deep-frying, grilling, and baking. Their skins are firmer than purple varieties and should be peeled before cooking. They can be sliced and grilled, used in stir-fries, or sauteing with other vegetables as a side dish. They can also be sliced and used as a substitute for meat in pasta dishes such as parmigiana bianca. White eggplants pair well with chilies, tomatoes, squash, stewed meats, grilled and baked fish, chicken, chickpeas, lentils, herbs such as basil, mint, cilantro, and parsley, cheeses such as fresh cow's milk, parmesan, and aged sheep's cheese, miso, ginger, yuzu, garlic, and allspice. White eggplants will keep up to three days when stored in a cool and dry place. SEASONS White eggplants are available during the summer months.