Woops, Stop milmil! I think your taro tubers are ornamental. Not for eating. And no, i wouldn't eat the taro tubers or leaves and stem raw in a salad. My mother has to cook the taro tubers, leaves and stem for at least an hour if not my throat will itch. The taro tubers are usually added in a stew like dish (sinigang). It has a creamy, glutious texture. Kinda like potatoes.

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Edible Taro

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Non-edible

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Non-edible

There is also the pink leave taro and the mini green with white poka dots coloured taro. Also non-edible.

And just to add, even if you were to plant an edible taro's tubers, the leaves are not necesarily edible. There are certain varieties that have edible leaves and stems. I believe the kind called "bun long" has all edible parts (shoots and roots). But there are many varieties, some with edible leaves and some with edible roots only.

Try some papaya seed dressing. Throw in blender to make about 2 cups:
2 TBS papaya seeds
garlic
onion
dijon mustard
honey
oil
rice vinegar
balsamic vinegar
herbs that you like (basil, oregano)
water if needed
salt if needed

check out this old gardenweb post about taro, bac ha, etc. Be careful when preparing these, know what your eating. bac ha, taro, etc.

Sweetie75

What is green mango shake? I heard it was better than regular mango shake. I find that hard to believe!

Thanks

Hi Bill_SouthernCal,

Best way for me to describe it would be, its summertime and instead of lemonade shake, green mango shake. Can you taste it now?? LOL

I never had a green mango shake but it sounds tasty. Makes me think of those freshly squeezed sugar cane juice I had. If I can find a way to juice it easily I may grow some. What do you guys think, will those juicing machine would on sugar canes?

Unripe jackfruit, fried with freshly grated coconut and spices South Indian style...mmmm! Mild nutty flavor.
Green amaranthus leaves (is it the same as pigweed?)- like spinach but milder. Avoid the tough,fibrous stalks.
Roselle leaves- deliciously tangy!

Eggo, there is a delicious green mango drink in India called 'aam panna'.. First the green raw mango is roasted in coals (I suppose here on a grill) till it is thoroughly cooked.. Then the mango is peeled, insides mashed and strained with a sieve, and some spices (roasted ground cumin seeds, rock salt, chilli powder, sugar), freshly julienned mint leaves.. Then some of it is spooned in a glass, ice cold water mixed, and voila on a hot summer day.. deliciously tangy, sweet and sour, and extremely refreshing on hot days.. Depending on whether you want a salty or sweet drink, you can add more sugar or more salt..

/blue

Oh, you guys are talking about unripe mangos. I was wondering, because there's another variety/species of mango that is actually green when ripe.

I also like unripe papaya used in stews. To me, they're just like cooked chayote/sayote.

Blue, that sounds delicious. Tangy, sweet and sour! Yummy! Reminds me of a Vietnamese drink that uses a pickled sour plum or sometimes a pickled sour lime. Mixed with sugar, salt, and carbonated water. It has a pleasant mixture of sweet, sour, and salty. A drink that uses salty flavors may seem odd for some but its pretty darn good.

Anakaleki, it sounds like unripe mangos to me. Is it?

Interesting! First time I hear pumpkin leaves are edible. How do you cook them? Are they really good? Any kind of pumpkin? How about squash leaves? Another thing that is new to me is pepper leaves. Any pepper? Cook them like spinach? Thanks.

Well, my grandmother was telling me about a kind of mango her sister grew in the Philippines that was green and stayed green, even when ripe, and were sweet like any other mango.

I didn't know if it is commercially grown or not.

mysweetie75 or anyone,

Thanks for the description, but honestly, no I don't have any idea what a lemonade shake is. But I know what a mango shake is. What's the difference between a mango shake (ripe mangoes in a blender with milk/ice cream) and green mango shake? Is it that color by using the ripe mango variety that is still green when ripe that someone else posted?

If not, where is the green color coming from? The green peel? Do you use unripe mango when it's mixed in with the ice cream?

Thanks.

Hi Bill,

Green mango shake is made from unripe mangoes (any variety will do). I'm not sure how well their flavor would combine with ice cream or milk since they are *extremely sour*. Still, the recipe specified only water, not milk. You can use partially ripe mangoes for a sweet/sour balance.

As for the mango that's green when ripe, it's the 'Langra' variety. It's very sweet with a spicy, fragrant flavor. I believe it's commonly grown in SE Asia and Eastern India.

Wow, DrHorticulture, thanks for the description of a green mango shake. The word "shake" then doesn't necessarily mean what it does on the west coast USA where it is always ice cream and milk based. I should have remembered that because when I was in Boston, they told me what I think of a shake is called a "frappe" there. So that's what Sweetie was referring to when comparing it to lemonade shake. My brother when he visited the Philippines this is was the best thing he had when he was there. He said he enjoyed it more than the ripe mango shake (ice cream based) and halo-halo. And he loves those two dessert drinks.

That green when ripe mango sounds awesome. I wish this country would allow Asian fruit like mangoes and everything else into the US. But I hear it could introduce pests that we couldn't handle here.

Green mangoes that stay green are called indian mangoes here. When these mangoes become uber ripe we give em to the animals at home because they're too juicy sweet and the pets love em. The indian mangoes are light lemon coloured when unriped and it taste sour to sweet/sour and then sweet during the unripe stage. When it turns super ripe... the colour turns to a bright yellow to orange. I'll look around and see if there are still indian mangoes available. I'll try to post a picture.

Bill_SoutherCal,

Yes, shakes here can be made with just ice. To make these green mango shake. Peel green mangoes, slice or dice and place in a blender add ice and sugar or syrup. You might have to add a little water. Just so everything will blend in the blender.

You can also try to make buko shake or Coconut shake. I had this last year. To make, scoop some coconut meat into a blender add ice, sugar the same as the green mango shake.

And calamansi or limes shakes, the same as above. There's even a papaya shake but they add evaporated milk. It has a yummy colour.

Ripe mango shake and avocado shakes, we usually add evaporated milk instead of ice cream.

Their are lots of mangos varieties that are eaten while still green. Their sweet and crunchy. Many Thai varieties are like this. The most easily available one in the U.S. is Nam Doc Mai. Mysweetie that's interesting that over there you call them Indian mangoes because most of those are listed under the Southeast Asian group while the Indian group are usually the more colorful skin mangoes.

Ok, thank. Yeah I think I've seen them called Indian magoes bofore. BTW I tasted my first rambutan, delicious! At $7 a pound I just bought three. I hope the seeds sprout. Speaking of seeds, I also tried boiled jackfruit seeds. I thought they tasted like dry potatoes.

Does anyone know where I can find some Chinbaung (Burmese) leaves? These are sour and in the shape of a maple leaf. Somebody told me that it was sorrell. I took a leaf to the Vietnamese store and they had never seen anything like that before. It is used in soups and also cooked with shrimp and bamboo shoots and green hot chillies. The Burmese restaurants carry it, alas, no Burmese restaurants in Phoenix. I'm dying to have some. Any information would be appreciated. Thank you.

Hi Lizanne, I believe you are looking for Jamaican sorrel, also known as roselle or Hibiscus sabdariffa. They might be available in Indian, African or Caribbean grocery stores. Are you looking for leaves or seeds? They grow very profusely in the Arizona summer if watered well.

By the way, I might be able to send you some Roselle seeds in the fall if you can't find them. Let me know.

Thank you DrHorticulture for the information and for your generous offer, which I greatly appreciate. A friend is returning from a visit and has promised to bring some seeds. However, if things don't work out I might call upon you. Thanks again.

Not quite a vegetable but has Anyone ever had roasted bananas, its quite good. I had this last summer. A mature but still green "Namwah" banana was cooked this way.

Eggo, actually I've eaten a roasted banana before, but that was ages ago when I was just a little girl scout out camping. The banana we used was a little like the plantain banana, skewered and roasted over the campfire. And you're right, from my memory bank, it is good!

I'm thinking just about any roasted banana of any variety, ripe or not is ususally pretty darn good. You can use ripe "American" bananas, peel, slit lengthwise, add chocolate, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts... wrap in aluminum foil (splash of liqueor like rum is optional) and place in coals 5-10 minutes serve, topped with whipped cream and you've got Banana's Foster.

Here is a link that might be useful: Camp Banana's Foster Recipes

In Asia, bananas (not plantain) are sliced thinly and deep fried and sugared. Or dipped in caramel to form a sticky and crunchy treat.

Also, overiped bananas are mashed and cooked with sugar to form a caramel like candy. The sticky results are further rolled in sugar. - Banana candy.

Sweet potato can be prepared the same way -sliced, fried and sugared then arranged in bbq sticks kabob style.

You're all making me hungry and homesick. I sooo miss the cool treats for summer in the Philippines like creamy sorbets in cocoa, coconut, ube, avocado, langka or queso flavors. How about the sweet red bean posicles? Yum! I think I'll open a can of creamed corn and top it with crush ice and evaporated milk for now ... ooohhhh!!!

Hey one of my favorite pastries are those sweet red bean bread. And the sweet red bean moon cakes.
The first time I had plantain was from my cousin's Philipino wife. Fried. Yummy didn't know it could be that delicious. I'm so use to Namwah bananas.
Yes you are all making me hungry at 12 at night!

Not banana this time. Have you tried mixing condensed milk with shredded young coconut meat with it's water? Pour in popicle molds and freeze overnight. It's yummy.

FYI: Philipino---> Filipino or Pilipino

or Filipina : ) or Pinoy/Pinay for short.

Hey, can someone identify a plant for me? I don't have a picture but my grandparents eat it a lot in stew. It comes from a tree and has compound leaves. The leaflets are roundish-oblong and feel smooth and delicate, less than an inch long. Any guesses?

I was able to get a picture of a seedling:

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It looks like Moringa oleifera, the horse radish tree. Basically every single part of this tree is edible from the pods to the roots. I've grown some seedlings before but gave them all away.

It's also called Malunggay here in the Philippines. It's usually added with a dish called mongo (dried green beans).

Here's a pic with its huge pods. And yes, even the pods are eaten.
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Oh, thanks. They sell small branches of them at a local Asian market but I have never been able to root a cutting. I sprouted this one from seeds that a friend got in Costa Rica.

I am interested on pumpkin seeds. Do we need to boil the seeds or just dry in sun before we eat the inside of the seeds?
Gorkhali

I think they are usually baked in the oven.

Roasted pumpkin seeds are just about coming into season now, around Halloween!
I cut out the insides of any old pumpkin, rinse them in water & get rid of all stringy threads, let dry & then lightly toast in skillet or oven. When done, sprinkle with some salt, chili powder, paprika, curry, tumeric, etc for spiced seeds.
I adapted the squash seed recipe from my German from Russian heritage of sunflower seeds & added other spices for variety. Hope this helps the other cooks on this Asian veggie forum...
Good cooking & good growing, K.

Have tried the bitter mellon (fruit), sometimes availible in some of the asian markets/but you had mentioned the vine.Supposed to be useful in controling blood-suger. Do you know how to best prepare this? As the name suggests, I found the fruit part to be very bitter. Geol

geol, yes, it is bitter, LOL! Here, it's often prepared by chopping and stir frying with black bean sauce and pork.

Thanks, honu. I will be trying this today. The nearest market that has the bitter mellon is two towns away so I will grab a black bean sauce also. Their selction of sauces is overwhelming- any other suggestions would be appreciated, as all are unfamilar to me. mysweetie75 had mentioned using the leaves, young tender shoot/vines? of these mellons.Is anyone familiar with this? My search found one post that metioned that the seeds were dangerous. I would have to try to grow these myself and am curious about their uses and any medicinal values.Again, many thanks, geol

Geol
Do a web search for Ampalaya(Philippine language[Tagalog] for bitter melon) and you will find much information on Momordica Charantia. I hope the seeds are not too dangerous, because I have eaten them for years. When you select a bitter melon look for a plump well shaped melon that is getting lighter in color. If you shake it and the seeds rattle inside, they may be viable. This plant needs a long growing season.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ampalaya-Momordica Charantia

Is there anyone who can tell me where I can buy saluyot (jute or jews' mallow) seeds?

I'm also willing to trade some asian seeds if anyone has saluyot seeds to trade.

organic_teena,

Please use the Asian Vegetable Exchange Forum for Corchorus olitorius.

I am also looking for information about pumpkin leaves they are popular in parts of Africa,

I've recently visited my grandmother in Guangzhou China and during my visit there she introduce me to a veggie I've never had before. I believe she called it fan gua. My Chinese still needs work but I think it means sweet potato squash( or melon or gourd. I don't think there is a distinction in Chinese). Anyway it's a small squash with an oblong shape a bit like a small spaghetti squash. It's green with a bit of yellow to it and it taste a bit like sweet potato. My grandma likes to just steam it and eat it. Has anybody else heard of this? If so does it have another name? I tried to do a search on fan gua to learn more about it but the searches came up empty.

This is just a shot in the dark, but look at the link and navigate around to see all the squashes offered by Evergreen.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Evergreen Seeds

Thanks Jim, I took a look at the link but I'm not sure if that is it. I seem to recall it being more like a light green and it was more oval shaped not tapered on one end but what was listed also sounds really good. If I can find a place for it I might get the seeds.

Could it be winter melon??