Chilli is a fruit which belongs to Capsicum genus. It has many varieties which are differentiated on its pungency measured on Scoville Scale. Chilli fruit when ripened and dried becomes red chilli, which is further grounded to form red chilli powder. These are categorized as hot pepper. Red chilli became famous all around the world because of its characteristics like pungency, taste and flavor matched black pepper, which was very expensive during old times and thus it became one of the most important and integral spices. PRODUCT INFO They are an excellent source of vitamin C but excess use of red chillies may cause indigestion and heartburn. Capsaisin, the chemical that makes chillies hot is known to reduce the risk of skin and stomach cancer. They contain more vitamin C than an orange. It also acts as a remedy for cold and sinus symptoms. It does not contain any cholesterol. USES Red chili's are usually grounded into a powder and used as a spice. Red chili's are dried or pickled in order to store them for a long period of time. It is a popular ingredient in most Indian dishes and curries. Red chili's are also used extensively for making sauces which are used to add spice to other dishes. SEASONS Red Chili 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 Banana flowers have a starchy, fibrous consistency and a neutral, subtly bitter, and fruity flavor well suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The outer, dark-hued bracts should not be consumed, but they can be used as a decorative serving vessel. As each bract is removed, the small florets can be separated from their tough stamens and set aside for use with the flower's heart. Once the bracts have been peeled away to reveal a yellow-white hue, the heart can be sliced into pieces and incorporated into recipes. It is recommended to immerse slices of the Banana flower in salted lemon water or vinegar water for at least 20 to 30 minutes to extract some of the bitterness. Banana flowers can be added to fresh fruit and green salads, and younger flowers will have a sweeter flavor for raw preparations. They can also be minced into dips, dumplings, and pastes. USES Beyond fresh preparations, Banana flowers can be lightly steamed and served with dips, similar to an artichoke, boiled in coconut water and stir-fried, or incorporated into curries and soups. The flowers can also be fried into patties, soaked in flavoring, cooked like fish fillets, or sauteed into vegetable, rice, and noodle dishes. In Thailand, young Banana flowers are commonly served raw on the side with pad Thai. In Indonesian cuisine, Banana flowers are mixed with pork and hot sambal, cooked in a section of bamboo, and served as a festival or wake appetizer. In Brazil, Banana flowers are incorporated into pies, quiches, and cooked into various sweet and savory goods. There is also a famous pastry in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais known as pastel de agnu that has its own festival. The festival annually occurs in the city of Itabirito and features food vendors, local growers, restaurants, and arts and crafts vendors, all centered around the famous pastry of the region. Pastel de agnu is comprised of Banana flowers stewed with meat and then fried into a dough-like puff. Banana flowers pair well with spices such as turmeric, curry powder, mustard seeds, cumin, and chile powder, aromatics including garlic, shallots, onions, lemongrass, and galangal, coconut milk, macadamia nuts, lime leaves, papaya, and carrots. Whole, raw Banana flowers should be immediately consumed for the best quality and flavor. The flowers can also be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator, or cut pieces can be placed in a sealed container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. In addition to fresh Banana flowers, the buds can also be found canned or frozen for extended use. SEASONS Banana flowers are found year-round, varying in availability depending on climate, region, and hemisphere.
PRODUCT INFO Bolo Maka (Ma-Uek) is small and round, approximately 1-2 centimeters in diameter. The tiny outer skin is initially green when immature, but then ripens to a yellow or orange and is covered in a fine layer of prickly hair. The inner pulp has many edible seeds and is also yellow or orange. Bolo maka is tangy and have a tropical, floral taste with a crunchy bite. Bolo maka grow in small clusters on a stout, vining perennial bush that reaches heights of just over one meter. The stems, leaves, and branches are also hairy, much like the fruit's outer skin. Bolo maka can be consumed in both raw and cooked applications. The thin exterior skin is edible once the hairy layer is shaved off and they are popularly eaten raw as an appetizer or snack. Many recipes may call just for the juicy, seedy pulp to add a touch of piquant sweet and sourness in sauces and curries. The fruit can be sliced in half and squeezed to release the inner pulp. Bolo maka is often used as a finishing condiment and paired with nam prik kapi, which is a Thai chili sauce made with shrimp paste and lime. Its sweet and sour flavor profile also compliments curries rich in coconut milk or a simple plate of rice. Bolo maka will keep up to a week when stored in the refrigerator. USES Bolo maka can be consumed in both raw and cooked applications. The thin exterior skin is edible once the hairy layer is shaved off and they are popularly eaten raw as an appetizer or snack. Many recipes may call just for the juicy, seedy pulp to add a touch of piquant sweet and sourness in sauces and curries. The fruit can be sliced in half and squeezed to release the inner pulp. Bolo maka is often used as a finishing condiment and paired with nam prik kapi, which is a Thai chili sauce made with shrimp paste and lime. Its sweet and sour flavor profile also compliments curries rich in coconut milk or a simple plate of rice.Bolo maka will keep up to a week when stored in the refrigerator. SEASONS Bolo maka 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.
SKU: 364115376135191 Green okra has a torpedo-shaped pod ranging in length of five to six inches when harvested mature. The pods are pale lime to lime green color, their exterior has furrowed lengthwise grooves. The skin can often be fuzzy to prickly, which can cause an allergic reaction to sensitive skin. The flesh bears a tender spongy membrane with many small white seeds. Okra is known less for its lean flavor and more for its sticky sap that creates the flesh's gelatinous texture. PRODUCT INFO Green Okra is a member of the mallow family along with cotton, cocoa and hibiscus. The okra plant produces broad oak-shaped leaves with bold yellow and white hibiscus-like blossoms. The fruits sprout in vertical patterns from the plant's stems. The sign of a plant flowering indicates fruits will develop quickly within 3-5 days. Young fruits must be harvested daily as the fruits are known to grow so fast you can almost see them growing in front of your eyes. One plant can produce up to 100 okra. Okra left on the stem too long will become tough and essentially unfit for use. Okra is grown for fresh-eating but it also has many other purposes. Okra plants are grown commercially for pickling and canning alone or as a canned soup ingredient, while the seeds are also harvested for making oil and in some cultures are ground and used as a coffee substitute or supplement. USES With okra, harvesting young tender fruits and knowledge of how to cook it are two key ingredients. Okra is historically not eaten alone, rather paired in a multitude of recipes alongside ingredients with bold, complex flavors and varying textures. Okra is most often used as a soup or stew ingredient, though its textures and flavors are truly enhanced when fried and grilled. Okra pairs well with basil, bacon, beet greens, butter, cream, garlic, ham, lemon, kale, onions, parsley, olive oil, pickled vegetables, chile peppers and peppercorns, paprika, tomatoes and turnips. SEASONS Okra is available year-round
SKU: 364215375135191 Turmeric is the rhizome, or root stem, of a tropical blade-leafed plant. The rhizome has an abstract finger-like shape with a rough skin marked with knobs and rings. Turmeric rhizomes often grow up to 3-4 inches long and one-half to one inch in diameter. Its skin's color is a combination of pale earth and orange. The flesh is a vibrant carrot orange color and its flavor warm and peppery with very distinct bitter undertones. It is most often boiled and then dried for powdered form, in which it turns its trademark color. PRODUCT INFO Turmeric, scientifically known as Curcuma longa, is a tropical flowering perennial that falls within the same family as ginger and is one of two rhizomes with an appearance similar to the spicy root. It's cultivated and harvested for its roots, though its leaves are also used in some cultures. USES Fresh Turmeric's gentle carrot/ginger-like flavor lends itself well to both sweet and savory applications. It adds freshness to curries and soups, and can be pickled or fried. Its vibrant color is a wonderful addition to any dish, but can also stain clothing and porous surfaces. SEASONS Turmeric is available year-round
Ginger is an agricultural commodity which Thailand has the production potential. Mature ginger means rhizome of the harvested ginger at the age between 10-12 months after planting. Underneath the skin, the flesh is firm, fibrous, and ranges in color from yellow to brown. The rhizome is also highly fragrant with a warm, woody scent. When fresh, Ginger is juicy and crunchy with a pungent, spicy, and slightly sweet taste. Frozen Ginger can be kept up to 24 months from manufactured date under good condition.
PRODUCT INFO Young pepper (Prik Thai On) (scientific name: Piper nigrum) is a plant recognized as the king of pungent spices. and is a spice that gives it a spicy flavor Can be used to make dried pepper as a condiment. If the whole husk is dried, black pepper will be obtained because the rind will be black when dried. The white pepper is obtained by peeling off the bark first. It was found that both dried and fresh fruits were used for cooking. or dried and ground into a powder called ground pepper which pepper is a different plant species from chili (Chilli). USES In Asia, we use pepper in all its stages of development. Sprigs of very aromatic, young green berries appear in stir-fried dishes, curries, soups and dipping sauces. As pepper berries mature, they change from light green to dark green and then begin to turn red. Picked before fully matured, the peppercorns are dried, the outer peel turning black and shriveled, and this is the form most popular in the west. Fully ripened red berries are allowed to ferment briefly in a warm place, then their peel is rubbed off, revealing irregularly white seeds. For a refreshingly aromatic peppery taste, grind your own pepper when you need it. Use a pepper mill, mortar and pestle, or if you are grinding a large amount, a clean coffee grinder designated solely for grinding dry spices. Pre-ground pepper loses aroma and flavor over time. SEASONS Young peppercorn will bloom in May during the harvest season. will be around January.
Turmeric is the rhizome, or root stem, of a tropical blade-leafed plant. The rhizome has an abstract finger-like shape with a rough skin marked with knobs and rings. Turmeric rhizomes often grow up to 3-4 inches long and one-half to one inch in diameter. Its skin's color is a combination of pale earth and orange. The flesh is a vibrant carrot orange color and its flavor warm and peppery with very distinct bitter undertones. It is most often boiled and then dried for powdered form, in which it turns its trademark color. PRODUCT INFO Turmeric, scientifically known as Curcuma longa, is a tropical flowering perennial that falls within the same family as ginger and is one of two rhizomes with an appearance similar to the spicy root. It's cultivated and harvested for its roots, though its leaves are also used in some cultures. USES Fresh Turmeric's gentle carrot/ginger-like flavor lends itself well to both sweet and savory applications. It adds freshness to curries and soups, and can be pickled or fried. Its vibrant color is a wonderful addition to any dish, but can also stain clothing and porous surfaces. SEASON Turmeric is available year-round
PRODUCT INFO Sesban Flower (Dok Khae) are oblong-shaped, pendulous blooms. They are similar in shape to pea flowers, bearing an upright standard petal a curved, boat-shaped keel; and wing petals that spread out from the flower. Each flower is quite large, growing to 7 to 10 centimers long. They are showy blooms, and have white, pink or red petals, depending on the variety. However, the white flowers are preferred for eating. The flowers are rich in sugar, and taste sweet at first bite. They also have an intriguing mushroom-y umami flavour, along with a slight bitter aftertaste. SEASONS Sesban Flower (Dok Khae) are available year-round.
PRODUCT INFO Pea eggplant are small and round, about the size of a pea and one centimeter in diameter. These tiny fruits are arranged in clusters of ten to fifteen bunched together in a fashion similar to grapes and as the fruits ripen their thin skin will turn from light green to yellow. The fruits grow on shrubs that can reach up to sixteen feet in height. The stems and leaves of the pea eggplant are covered in fine hairs, and small hooked thorns and the flowers of the plant are most often white. Each fruit can contain up to two hundred tiny, flat, brown, and edible seeds. pea eggplant range in flavor from bitter to tart when raw, and their texture is exceptionally crunchy. Once cooked they will take on a soft quality and the bitter flavor is minimized. USES Pea eggplant are used in both raw and cooked preparations. When fresh they are popularly used in nam prik kapee, a chili and shrimp paste blend commonly made in Thailand. They can also be pickled, dried, or served raw with dipping sauces. Pea eggplant can be grilled, braised, added to curries, soups, and stews, or tossed whole or chopped into stir-fries. To cut the bitterness, Pea eggplant can be boiled briefly before use. Pea eggplant pair well with mint, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, curry paste, rice, yams, and meats such as poultry and beef. Pea eggplant will keep up to three days when stored in a cool and dry place. SEASONS Pea eggplants are available year-round with peak season during the summer months.
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 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.
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 Peteh beans (sator seed) it flat edible beans with bright green seeds the size and shape of plump almonds which have a rather peculiar smell, similar to, but stronger than that of the shiitake mushroom, due to sulfur-containing compounds also found in shiitake, truffles and cabbage. In Thailand it is called sah-taw look like broad beans. Like mature broad beans, they may have to be peeled before cooking. Peteh bean has earned its nickname 'stink bean' because its strong smell is very pervasive. It lingers in the mouth and body. Like asparagus, it contains certain amino acids that give a strong smell to one's urine, an effect that can be noticed up to two days after consumption. Like other beans, their complex carbohydrates can also cause strong-smelling flatulence. USES Peteh beans (sator seed) are best when combined with other strong flavoured foods such as garlic, chilli peppers, and dried shrimp, as in sambal petai or added to a Thai curry such as Thai Green Curry of Duck. When young the pods are flat because the seeds have not yet developed, and they hang like a bunch of slightly twisted ribbons, pale green, almost translucent. At this stage they may be eaten raw, fried or pickled. Young tender pods with undeveloped beans can be used whole in stir fried dishes. In North-eastern India, the seeds or the bean as a whole are eaten by preparing a local delicacy call Iromba or Yongchak singju. Seeds are also dried and seasoned for later consumption. When dried the seeds turn black. In Indonesia, petai is very popular in the highlands of Java. SEASON Peteh beans (sator seed) are available between Jun - Jul each year.