HM’s Food & Wine Magazine

In ancient days, humans ate more plant products than meat as that was readily available. With the development of agriculture came the rise of civilizations, but agriculture was more dominant for a long time. Vegetables were a necessity, but their nutritious value and the proper usage was unknown except in that they were a cheap and reliable means of keeping the body fed. And they were also delicious. Gradually, more was learnt about the value of vegetables and their versatility. Lots of vegetables have not only the single usage, they can have multi usage and even different parts of a single plant can have different taste as well as nutritious value and can be used in multi cuisines. Mentioned here are few plants among many whose roots and shoots both are culinary delights.
Celery Root (Celeriac) and Celery
Celeriac (Celery Root) is a turnip-rooted vegetable, and the root forms a solid knob just below the soil surface. Celery root is usually boiled and eaten alone or in salads. To store, wrap it in plastic, and keep it very cool. Celery root is high in phosphorus and potassium. It is beneficial to the lymphatic, nervous, and urinary systems. When selecting this vegetable, choose roots that are firm. Press the tops of the roots to check for internal rot.

Celery belongs to the same plant family as carrots, parsley, fennel, caraway, and anise. The characteristic flavor of these plants is from the volatile oils found in the stems, leaves, and seeds. Wild celery has a bitter flavor and pungent odor.

The most desirable celery is of medium length, thickness, and solidity. The stalks should be brittle enough to snap easily. Pithy or stringy celery is not good to eat and probably has less vitamin and mineral content. The pithiness of a celery stalk can be detected by pressing or twisting the stalk, and stringiness can be detected by breaking the stalk. Celery that has formed a seed stem probably has a poor flavor and may be bitter.

Celery is highly perishable, and should be kept refrigerated. To prepare for eating, scrub and wash thoroughly. Before the tops of celery are used, they should be separated, and washed several times. If you are cooking celery, steam it only long enough to break down the fibers, or cook it a few minutes in a vessel with a tight lid. Use very little water. Cooked celery takes only about three hours to digest. Celery is also delicious in soup and as a seasoning in almost all cooked food.

Celery is fairly high in roughage and low in calories. Its high water content makes it an especially good food to eat with foods that are more concentrated, particularly heavy starches. Celery is best eaten raw, preferably in the form of combination vegetable salads. Use it as a balance in high protein salads such as chicken, tuna, or shrimp. Celery is particularly flavorful when cooked with tomatoes or green peppers. Its pot liquor is especially good as a base in soups and sauces. As an all-around maintainer of good health, celery juice gets top billing.

Turnip and Turnip Greens
The turnip has been used since ancient time. The broad bottom flat turnip and the globular turnip are the most popular. Turnips may be served steamed, with drawn butter or cream sauce. Nepalese are very much comfortable in eating turnip cooked as a curry. Mixing turnip with mutton also makes a wonderful curry. They are also excellent raw and shredded in salads.

Turnip greens are excellent cooked the same way spinach is usually cooked. The greens should be cooked in a covered pan until tender, using no water or only the water that clings to the leaves.

Regardless of variety, turnips have much the same flavor if grown under the same conditions. They may be distinguished by shape, as round, flat, or top-shaped, and also by color of the flesh white or purple by the color of the skin. The most popular variety is the Purple Top White Globe. This variety has a large globe-shaped root, with an irregularly marked purple cap, and its flesh is white, sweet, crisp, and tender. The leaves are dark green, large, and erect.

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