Oriental

Oriental vegetables are those that originate from Asia (mainly East Asia) and popularly include mooli, pak choi, bok choy and okra amongst others.

Mooli also known as daikon or Chinese white radish is a vegetable that resembles a thicker and stubbier white carrot. It has a much more intense flavour than the common radish and is often used in soups and stir-frys.

Pak choi also known as Chinese celery cabbage is a vegetable with a chunky white stalk and deep green leaves and is most commonly a side dish or ingredient in soup. It is typically served boiled or stir-fried. The stalk is tender and crunchy when cooked and the leaves wilt similar to cabbage.

Bok choy is also a variety of Chinese celery cabbage and is of the same variant as Pak Choi.

Lotus root is an aquatic root vegetable that is cylindrical in shape with a brown exterior and an off-white flesh that has large channels running through. It is bitter and needs to be soaked in vinegar before consumed raw, but can be boiled, fried and used in soup. It has a crunchy texture and is starchy so takes after a potato when boiled. Lotus root has a high water content and is slightly sweet in flavour so can even be used in desserts.

Okra are tapered green pods with fuzzy skin similar in appearance to a green been. They are classified as a fruit but as they have a unique flavour that is mild and grassy, so are used for culinary purposes as a vegetable. They are crunchy and often used to thicken soups or as a side dish.