Produce Briefs...
Orange Honeydew Melon
Oval-to-round and a delicious cross between a cantaloupe and a honeydew, the very fleshy juicy orangish-yellow pulp of the orange honeydew melon is encased in a hard very yellow matching rind.
Mangosteen
The Purple mangosteen, botanical name Garcinia magostana, simply referred to as mangosteen, is an ultra-tropical slow growing evergreen tree that is cultivated for its edible fruit.
Seasons/Availability
Ngo gai is available year round.
Current Facts
Delicious greens are an exciting culinary trend and have become very popular in today's cuisines. Lending their delicious and varying flavors, these versatile vegetables are in demand in both domestic kitchens and fine restaurants.
Description/Taste
Growing in varying shiny shades of rich green, ngo gai, pronounced N-gaw guy, produces severely spiked narrow leaves that offer a classic delicious flavor. Offering a taste much like that of cilantro, the two are often confused despite their very different appearance. Interchangeable in recipes, this fact increases its mistaken identity even more. Also known as culantro, this herb's flavor is much more pungent than cilantro's.
Nutritional Value
Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables lowers the chances of cancer. A recent study found eating nine or ten daily servings of fruits and vegetables, combined with three servings of low-fat dairy products, were effective in lowering blood pressure.
Applications
Ngo gai is excellent in combination with other greens. Use as a flavorful garnish in Vietnamese soups. Toss in stir-fries the last few seconds of cooking to retain its texture and color. Reminiscent of cilantro, use as a more pungent substitute. To prepare, rinse leaves briefly in cold water; shake off excess; pat dry. To store, wrap in plastic; refrigerate in crisper drawer.
Geography/History
Native to Central America and of the genus Eryngium foetidum L., this green is commonly known in Hawaii by the Vietnamese name ngo gai. A favored herb, it grows throughout Southeast Asia and Latin America. Slow to grow, each leaf emerges from the base of the plant as there are no stems to produce multiple leaves. Other common names include long coriander, Puerto Rican coriander, Mexican coriander, thorny coriander, saw-leaf herb, saw-tooth herb, culantro, recao and shado benni.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Ngo Gai. One
is easiest, three is harder.
