How Well Do You Know Your Veggies? We Have Recipes on How to Use Them

 

ILLUSTRATOR Jon Tolentino

 

Any cooking newbie might have felt confused about how to navigate the produce aisle in the supermarket. Don't worry, it happens. Some might instinctively know the difference between cabbage and Chinese cabbage but knowledge of ingredients also comes with experience. First time to try out an all-veggie recipe? Don't worry, we've got you covered:

 

 

Cabbage/ Repolyo

This is a leafy green often mistaken for lettuce. When cooked, it has a flavor which makes it ideal for slaw but you can also use it for veggie salads and casseroles, too.

 

 

 

Chinese Cabbage/ Pechay

This green crisp leafy vegetable is often used in Asian dishes and has smooth leaves. They may be used in soups and stews.

 

 

 

String Beans/ Sitaw

String beans have long, narrow edible green pods. These are perfect for sautéed dishes, casseroles, or tasty side dishes.

 

 

 

Celery/ Kinchay

This vegetable has a long, fibrous stalk with leafy tops. Use it for slaw, salsa verde, or soups.

 

 

 

Pumpkin/ Kalabasa

Pumpkins have an orange exterior and orange flesh and have a mild, sweet flavor. Pumpkin may be roasted, boiled, or sautéed.

 

 

 

Eggplant/ Talong

Eggplants have a glossy, purple edible fruit with a meaty texture which easily turns brown when it is cut or sliced. Eggplants may be pan fried, grilled, sautéed, used in stir-fries, salads, and pasta dishes.

 

 

 

Snow Peas/ Sitsaro

Snow peas are also known as mangetout and are light green in color, with flat pods with a firm, smooth skin and tiny seeds. Snow peas may be added to salads, boiled, blanched, used in stir-fries, and add a vibrant sweet flavor to dishes.

 

 

 

Bitter Gourd/ Ampalaya

This vegetable is usually oblong with an uneven surface. The fruit's flesh is crunchy and has bitter flavors. Ampalaya is used in a lot of Southeast Asian dishes, usually stir-fried or added to stews.

 

 

 

Water Spinach/ Kangkong

 

This leafy plant has tender shoot and leaves. Sometimes called "morning glory", kangkong may be sautéed, added to soups, or coated in batter and fried to a crisp to serve as an appetizer.

 

 

 

Mung Bean Sprouts/ Togue

Mung bean sprouts are the shoots of the mung bean (monggo), have white shoots and pale yellow leaves. They add crunch and a nutty taste to noodle soups, spring rolls and dumpling fillings, or stir-fried dishes.

 

 

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