Oriental vegetables are very important in Asian countries, but are considered as minor crops in the United States and Europe. However, in recent years there has been an increased interest in these crops because of their unusual flavors and textures and in some cases their high nutritional values. Some of the more common ones are described below.
Chinese cabbage, celery cabbage, napa, or pe-tsai (Brassica campestris, pekinensis group; B. rapa, pekinensis group; B. pekinensis) belongs to the mustard (Cruciferae) family, and is a biennial leafy plant but is grown as an annual. The harvested part is a head which is composed of broad crinkled leaves with a very wide, indistinct, white midrib. The outer leaves are pale green, and the inner leaves of the head are blanched. It is a good salad vegetable because of the mild flavor and crisp texture.
There are many varieties of pak choy, bok choi, Chinese mustard, or celery mustard (Brassica campestris, chinensis group; B. rapa, chinensis group; B. chinensis). The crop is grown as an annual. Pak choy does not form a head like most varieties of Chinese cabbage, but forms a celerylike stalk of tall, dark green leaves, with prominent white veins and long white petioles (see illustration). The base of the petiole may be expanded and spoon-shaped; the blade of the leaf is smooth, and not crinkled like that of Chinese cabbage.
The large, long, white radish (Raphanus sativus, longipinnatus group) is often called oriental winter radish, daikon, Chinese winter radish, lobok, and lob paak. Radish is a dicotyledonous herbaceous plant grown for its long, enlarged roots.
Edible podded peas, China peas, sugar peas, or snow peas (Pisum sativum, macrocarpon group) belong to the Legumi-nosae family. The primitive forms of pea are slightly bitter and have a tough seed coat, which allows for long dormant periods. In the garden pea the pod swells first as the seeds enlarge, but in the edible podded pea the immature seeds bulge the pod, which demarks the developing seeds. Unlike the regular garden peas which have tough fibery seed pods, the edible podded peas were selected for the tender pods and not for the seeds.
Pak choy or Chinese mustard (Brassica campestris). (University of California Agricultural Experiment Station)
Yard-long bean or asparagus bean (Vigna sinensis, sesqui-pedelis group) belongs to the Leguminosae family. It is an annual climbing plant. It is a relative of the cow pea (V. unguiculata).
Mung bean or green gram (Phaseolus aureus) sprouts have been used by the Chinese for their remarkable healing qualities for thousands of years. Only recently has the Western world recognized the value of sprouted leguminous seeds (mung, soy, and alfalfa sprouts). The unsprouted mung bean seeds contain negligible amounts of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), whereas the sprouted seeds contain 20 mg per 100 g of sprouts, which is as high as tomato juice.
Jicama (Pachyrrizus erosus), also called the yam bean, is indigenous to Mexico and Central America. It belongs to the pea (Leguminosae) family. The crop is grown for its enlarged turnip-shaped root, which is eaten raw or cooked, has a crisp texture, and is sweetish in taste.
Chinese winter melon, wax gourd, winter gourd, white gourd, ash gourd, Chinese preserving melon, ash pumpkin, or tung kwa (Benincasa hispida; B. cerifera) is a viny annual cucurbit. The flesh of mature fruits is used in making Chinese soups. It can be eaten raw or made into sweet preserves similar to citron or watermelon rind preserves.
Balsam pear, alligator pear, bitter gourd, bitter melon, bitter cucumber, or fu kwa (Momordica charantia) is an annual herbaceous vine. The heart-shaped to cylindrical fruits are extremely bitter; some of the bitterness is removed before cooking by peeling and steeping in salt water. Immature fruits are less bitter than mature ones.
Chinese okra or angled loofa (Luffa acutangula) is called zit kwa by the Chinese; it is a close relative of L. cylindrica, known as loofa, sponge gourd, or dishcloth gourd. Chinese okra is an annual climbing vine grown for the immature fruits. The thoroughly mature fruits can be made into vegetable sponge.
Water spinach, water convolvulus, swamp cabbage, kang kong, or shui ung tsoi (Ipomoea aquatica) is a perennial semi-aquatic plant grown for its long, tender shoots. It is a relative of the sweet potato (I. batatas), but does not produce an enlarged root.
