Categories of vegetables
flower
Broccoli: Both the flower and stem can be eaten. It was developed in Italy and is part of the Cabbage family.
Root
Carrot: Native to Afghanistan. They have an orange color and feathery green fronds.
flower
Cauliflower:This has a strong smell if over cooked and will turn grey. It has a tight white head encased in green leaves.
Stems
Celery: Ancient vegetable from the Mediterranean. It is high in water content and has a slightly sweet flavour.
Bulb
Garlic: A number of cloves make up a head. Each clove is covered in a papery skin.
Shoots and Spouts
Alfalfa spouts: Commonly used raw in salads. They are about 5cm in length. These are high in Vitamin B and C.
Stems
Asparagus: Available in white, green and purple. The white versions is grown in the dark and harvest in the ground.
Fruit vegetables
Aubergine:[Egg plant] It has a smooth glossy skin and spongy flesh dotted with dark seeds. Is part of the Nightshade Family.
Shoots and Spouts
Bamboo shoots: Harvest from tender shoots of edible plants and are creamy yellow and crunchy in texture.
Seeds and pods
Beans: Native to central America. There are many varieties available including, string and broad.
Leaf
Spinach:The leaves are bright green and have fine stems. It cooks very quickly and is an ingredient of many different foods.
Tuber
Sweet Potato: Also called Kumara. It has pink to brown skin and orange flesh. High in vitamin C and starch.
Seeds and pods
Sweet corn: This vegetable originated in Mexico. It is grown on a tall plant encased in a husk and silky threads.
Leaf
Lettuce: Has a high water content and contains iron and calcium. It's most commonly served raw.
Fungi
Mushroom: They grow on the decaying remains of other organisms and can be poisonous.They are used fresh or dried.
Bulb
Onions: Classified according to color. High in water in vitamin C. Used as a flavoring Ingredients.
Root
Parsnip:Cultivated by the Greeks. They have a creamy white flesh and can be used with potatoes and carrots.
Tuber
Potato: They can be flowery or waxy. Each variety has a particular cooking properly. It has a high starch content
Fruit vegetables
Pumpkin:There are many varieties of this vegetable with most having an orange flesh. It's part of the Squash family.
Fungi
Truffles: This grows in a small sphere attached to the roof of trees under the soil. They are very expensive to buy.