Vegetables

Caraway

Caraway seeds

Caraway is a plant in the carrot family, which is cultivated for its small fruits. The dry fruits, which look like seeds, are used as a spice. The roots of the plant can be used as a root vegetable and the leaves can be used as a herb, similar to parsley.

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Banana

Banana

Bananas are the world's best-selling fruits, followed by apples and oranges. They originate from tropical South-East Asia but are now found in almost all tropical regions of the world.

The genus Musa includes several species and cultivars of bananas. Some are used as fruits, some as vegetables.

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Daikon

Daikon

Daikon is a large white type of radish, which originates from East and Southeast Asia. As a root vegetable it is used in Chinese, Japanese and Thai recipes. In North America it is grown as a fallow crop and the leaves can be used as animal fodder.

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Bitter bean

Bitter bean

The Bitter bean or stink bean is tree of which the beans are used in Indonesian dishes. The big, flat beans are inside long, often twisted pods.

Stink beans are also used in several other South East Asian countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, southern Thailand, Burma) and in north-eastern India. They have a strong smell and give a special aroma to the food in which they are used.

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Artichoke

Artichoke

Artichoke is a thistle which is grown for the edible parts of the immature flowers.

Cardoon is the same species as artichoke, but it is a wild variety. The stems are eaten as a vegetable.

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Jicama

Tuber vegetables - Jicama

Jicama is a vine with edible tuberous root which can be eaten raw. After peeling the skin the tuberous roots look a bit like potato and have a watery but fresh taste.

The seeds of the plant are toxic as they contain rotenone, which is a pesticide used to kill insects and fish.

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White goosefoot

White goosefoot

White goosefoot is usually considered a weed but it is cultivated in some regions and used as a leaf vegetable. It is sometimes called pigweed, which is confusing as that name is also used for Common purslane and for Amaranthus spp.

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Winter purslane

Winter purslane is a small annual plant which originates from North America and which is used as a leaf vegetable. It is sometimes called Miner's lettuce because during the California Gold Rush miners used to eat it as a source of vitamin C.

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Common Dandelion

Dandelion greens

Often considered a weed, the common dandelian can also be used as a medical herb and as food. Dandelion leaves can be collected from the wild but are also sometimes grown to be used as a leaf vegetable. Young leaves and unopened buds are used raw in salads. Older leaves are cooked.

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Olive

Olives

Most olives are produced in countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea where the orchards with their garbled trees are a typical part of the landscape. Olive trees are usually cultivated to produce olive oil, which is a high quality edible oil used for cooking and in salads.

Olive trees can be very old, sometimes several centuries.

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Horseradish

Horseradish

Horseradish is grown for its root. The roots have not much aroma until they are cut or grated. Then because of certain enzymes, a chemical is produced which has a very pungent effect, similar to wasabi. After exposure to air it soon loses its pungency.

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Celery

Celery

Celery is a widely used vegetable. it is usually grown for its crisp leaf stalks. The leaves have a strong flavor and are used to flavor soups and stews, or as a dried herb.

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Groundnut

Groundnut

The groundnut, or peanut, is not a nut, but a legume. It belongs to the 'bean' family.

Groundnuts originate from South America and were already cultivated in Peru thousands of years ago.

The flowers self-pollinate and then the stalk at the base of the ovary elongates and grows downward to bury the fruits in the ground. This explains their name.

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Leek

Leek

Leek is a vegetable that is a close relative of onion, garlic, elephant garlic and kurrat. The 'stem' or 'stalk' of leek is actually a bundle of leaf sheaths, which makes it a leaf vegetable.

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Avocado

Avocado

Avocado originates from Southern Mexico and Central America. It is a very nutritious fruit with a fatty flavor and a creamy texture. Avocado is often used in salads and can be regarded as a vegetable.

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Snake gourd

Snake gourd

Snake gourd is a tropical or subtropical vine, which is cultivated for its fruit. The fruit, which resembles a snake, is used as a vegetable.

Other names for snake gourd include serpent gourd, chichinga and padwal. The snake gourd is a common vegetable in south and south east Asia.

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Taro

Taro culms marketed

Several plants in the Araceae family are called Taro. Their corms are used as vegetables. Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated type of Taro.

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Calabash

Bottle gourd dried shells Texas

The genus Lagenaria includes several species, such as the calabash (Lagenaria siceraria). Fruits of Lagenaria are either used as vegetables, when harvested young, or as utensils (bottles) when harvested mature. The name 'bottle gourd' is also used for some other crops.

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Pigeon pea

Pigeon pea

Pigeon pea is a legume which can grow in any warm climate and is mostly found in tropical regions. It originates from India where it probably has been cultivated for over 3500 years. Nowadays it is common in many countries with a suitable climate including East Africa and the Caribbean islands.

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Sweet potato

Sweet potato

Sweet potato originates from North and South America, but its highest production is in China.

Sweet potato is usually grown for the sweet tasting tuberous roots. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable.

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Gac

Gac fruit

Gac fruit is a gourd shaped fruit that grows on a perennial vine. It is often grown in home gardens in Southeast Asia. The fruit is sometimes called the “fruit from heaven”.

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Turnip

Turnips

The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable. Some smaller varieties are grown for human consumption while others are used as fodder. The leaves are sometimes eaten as “turnip greens”.

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Soybean

Soybean

Soybean is often processed into soybean meal and vegetable oil. It is used as a source of protein in many types of processed foods or as a fodder for farm animals.

Soybean is a crop which has been genetically modified.

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Chinese potato

Names Scientific   Plectranthus rotundifoliusSynonym   Solenostemon rotundifoliusEnglish   Chinese potato   Coleus potato   Country potato   Hausa potato   Madagascar potato   Native potatoSpanish   Patata de los HausasFrench   Pomme de terre d’Afrique   Pomme de terre du Madagascar   Pomme de terre du SoudanGerman   Hausakartoffel Taxonomy Genus   PlectranthusFamily   LamiaceaeOrder   Lamiales Basic information and facts Origin: Probably originates from Africa. Distribution: Various tropical countries in Africa and Asia. Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Mauritius, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia. Crop

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Radish

Radish

Radish is a root vegetable in the cabbage family. It has its origin in Europe, but is now grown all over the world. There are many different varieties, which differ in shape length, color and size.

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Carrot

Carrots

The carrot originates from Afghanistan.

Carrots can be eaten raw (as a snack, or grated in salads) or they can be chopped and boiled, fried or steamed. Carrots are often used in soups and stews or they are used in baby foods.

Carrots are known for their high content of carotene (an orange pigment).

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Eggplant

Eggplant

Eggplant (or Aubergine) is closely related to tomato, potato and chili peppers. Originally a tropical crop, it is now also sometimes grown in (heated) greenhouses in cooler climates.

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