“A vegetable vocabulary? But, why?”, you may ask. Sometimes, learning something new does not always have to be a grilling concept. There are so many basic things around us that also deserve our attention. For example, we go to a market and find a spread of vegetables, and sometimes, we just don’t know their names. Or sometimes, we see something on television and go, “Who knew they even grew these!” It happens with all of us! Our past few vocabulary lessons were pretty complex. We thought, why not ease it a little bit, and make English learning a little fun.
There are so many vegetables around the globe that not many of us know of. In this lesson, we will take a look at some of these. Next time, when we travel to a different country and spot one of these, we’d know what it is called. Most people are always looking for more options for their meals. With this vocabulary of vegetables, those doors will open for you! These are English words and will upgrade our vocabulary. Here we go!
Vegetable Vocabulary
Alright, before we go ahead, let’s establish one thing. Some of you may have heard or even know these vegetables. It is their names that confuse us many times. There is also the possibility that we haven’t heard or seen any of this before. So, we will focus on putting across those vegetables that fall in the “lesser-known” category from around the world, as opposed to the regular carrots & tomatoes.
1. Red Perilla
Several Asian countries use Red Perilla in their cooking. Belonging to the mint family, this exotic vegetable has a very spice-like taste. Soups, salads, detox drinks, juices, etc. are the various delicacies that people make out of these. Several variations of its use come from countries like Korea and Japan.
2. Salsify
First
First things first- this is not wood! It looks like it, and may not be a person’s immediate choice to buy when they look at it. This winter item on our vegetable vocabulary tastes just like an oyster. Therefore, people sometimes call it an oyster plant too. There are several ways of eating it- deep fry, steamed, or even as a side with steak.
3.Oca
Commonly known as a yam in the New Zeland, Oca is a little different from an actual yam. Most people who enjoy these do so for the carbs and energy it offers. They’re tasty, much like potatoes. Those who like oca have their own ways of preparing it.
4. Nopal
So, do you like Mexican food? If you do, then you might enjoy the taste of Nopal as it is a part of many of this cuisine’s dishes. Additionally, people claim the vegetable has quite some nutritional properties as well. In fact, many categorize it in the “super-food” zone since it is rich in fiber. Sure, it looks like a cactus, but then, let’s not judge a book by its cover. But, it’s different; it surely deserves a spot on our exotic vegetable vocabulary.
5. Dragon Carrot
If you cannot decide your mood on a sweet or spicy salad, try adding some piece of dragon carrots. You are sure to get a bit of both! They look vibrant and go well as a salad. But from a little change in their taste, they’re similar to our regular orange carrots. Oh, and, there’s also a dragon carrot recipe that you can gather online if you find these.
6. Lotus Root
A lot of places around the globe now accept lotus root as a part of their diet. Once again, they give in to this fine vegetable’s nutritional values. People make curries, have it stir-fried, deep-fried, or even steamed. Lotus roots are pretty rich in vitamins and minerals.
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7. Dulse
Dulse is a seaweed that generally finds life on rocks. Even though lesser-known, it has gained quite some popularity for being rich in omega fatty acid. They look much like leaves of red cabbage, but they’re much different since they taste salty. They make wonders in the tastes of several soups and salads.
8. Fiddleheads
Okay, undoubtedly, fiddleheads make it to our vegetable vocabulary list because we hardly ever see them, and, they look weird! Although, to some like a designer vegetable. They’re ferns, and they’re cut as soon as they coil. If they grow bigger, they tend to uncoil. With a bit of nutty taste, fiddleheads are making their way on many menus for their nutrition.
So, if you liked this article, which is very different from our other lessons, let us know in the common section. Maybe, we could come with other exotic food items that would be helpful for our general vocabulary. Until then, see if you can identify these vegetables by yourself. Some of you might start looking for recipes right away!
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