Looking for more info re: asian greens

[aktormedic]

I am constantly buying interesting looking greens at the farmers market, usually because they look good, but I have a difficult time finding out what they are or how to cook them.

When I ask, inevitably, the answer is "I don't know the English word" and "you can use it in soups".

That goes for the 5 different greens I just bought. They can't all be for the same thing!

What is a good resource for identifying these and figuring out recipes?

Thanks!

[alkapal]

i've found seed catalogues helpful, like this:
http://www.kitazawaseed.com/

or this:
http://www.newdimensionseed.com/Buy%20Asian%20vegetable%20seeds.htm

this re vietnamese herbs: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/essentials/herbs.htm

thai vegetables and herbs: http://www.supatra.com/pages/thaiveggies3.html

a little harder to navigate, but useful, from charmaine solomon's book: http://www.asiafood.org/glossary_1.cfm?alpha=G&wordid=3621&startno=1&endno=25

or for a takealong guide: http://www.amazon.com/Asian-Grocery-Store-Demystified-Guides/dp/1580630456
or this: http://asiancuisine.suite101.com/arti...

and reading through my links, i noticed this interesting info about growing lemongrass:

"From Paul, a visitor from the U.K.:

I am a keen gardener and organically grow most of my own food. Last year I had a small piece of lemongrass in the fridge which was showing signs of roots forming. I decided to encourage these roots in a jar of water and potted it up into a small pot of compost in the spring. It has grown huge (has been re-potted), and is very attractive. .... I am sure it would happily sit on a balcony or veranda if space is limited, and unlike most herbs does not run to seed and looks like it may even withstand the English winter!"

[aktormedic]

Thanks for all the help guys!

I still haven't found out what 2 of them are, but I figure I'll go next week and have the folks there write teh names down for me.

[dimsumgirl]

Please report back when/if you do find out. I'm interested in what exactly it is that you have been buying.

[ThaiNut]

I'm a Thai linguist so if you get a green's name written down in Thai I can xlate it and maybe tell you a bit about how it is used.

[lgss]

We discovered sweet potato greens at a farmers market last summer or the summer before. http://marcsala.blogspot.com/2006/06/...

[maryv]

Yes, we found them last year too and they quickly became a favorite.

[lgss]

Amaranth greens are among our favorites. Tastes like sweet spinach. Here's a link with photo: http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.b...

[cimui]

Many such obscure greens are also good when sauteed with garlic. If you sautee and it's too tough, then try boiling in broth. One (or both) of these methods works 98% of the time.

[Sister Y]

Agreed, this is the generally accepted method. Either parboil and stir fry in oil, or if it's already pretty tender, just stir fry in oil straight away. This is true for what I think of as "greens" - but if you're getting some of the excellent varieties of Vietnamese "herbs," rather than "greens," then use them as you would other herbs. In Viet cooking, you use herbs raw, wrapped around a bit of food, like you'd use injera in Ethio cuisine. Or, as you've heard, they can be torn up onto pho-like soups as a garnish. But taste and go nuts! No limits.

[luckyfatima]

Ask for the word in the relevant Asian language, then google. If it is a language that doesn't use the Roman alphabet, be sure to try variant spellings if your google doesn't yield anything straight away.

[dimsumgirl]

Grace Young's cookbook The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen has some pictures. Or if you send me a photo, I will try to ID it for you: [e-mail]

[aktormedic]

I actually have that book, but the ones I buy are more obscure maybe...

Also, some are Hmong, some are Vietnamese and some are Chinese.

I live in Oakland, which has every ethnic group known, as well as their food, and make every trip to the market an adventure!