Edible roots: the 11 to know

We often eat what’s on our plate without asking ourselves what’s really inside. It is the case of edible roots, which are often found in our dishes. The edible roots present in our culinary tradition are very many and even if this type of ingredient is often associated with oriental cuisine, our Mediterranean diet includes numerous edible roots. Let’s discover together all the properties and taste of 11 edible roots easy to find in the market.

The difference between roots, tubers and bulbs

Before you find out how to prepare the roots and their property, it is good to clarify what exactly they are. Not everything that grows underground is in fact a root. There are many vegetable ingredients that farmers collect underground, but they are not always roots. Here’s what we find underground that ends up on our plates:

• rootssuch as carrots and radishes;
• bulbssuch as garlic, leeks and onions;
• tuberssuch as potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes.

What are edible roots

It is that part of the plants that is usually found underground and represents the primary source of sustenance of the plant itself. The plant feeds through the roots of all the components that are in the ground and takes the water necessary for its survival. There are many edible roots that can be eaten by man and besides being particularly tasty they are also one precious source of nutrients, vitamins and mineral salts.

11 edible roots to know: the list

There are many edible roots and every part of the world has its own. Every gastronomic culture boasts edible roots to integrate into its traditional recipes. But what are the most common edible roots in our kitchen? Here is the list:

• ginger
• curcuma
• carrot
• beetroot
• white turnip
• radish
• celeriac
• Daikon
• horseradish
• scorzonera
• scorzobianca

Properties and uses of edible roots

Ginger

Lumpy, like many other roots, and with a beige colored rind, it ginger it is one of the best known edible roots. Its pulp is intense yellow and its characteristic flavor is intense and pungent. His are known antiseptic and digestive properties.

Curcuma

Often confused with ginger, turmeric actually has bright orange flesh when fresh. Its golden yellow powder is used as a spice but also as a natural dye. It has rich anti-inflammatory properties and is very good in curry recipes.

Carrots

These are perhaps the best known edible roots: we are talking about carrots. We mostly see them in orange, but they exist colorful carrots that from yellow also come to shades of purple. They are sweet and tasty, good cooked and raw and perfect for preparing sweet and savory dishes. Carrots are extremely versatile and rich in properties.

Beets

With a brown colored skin, the beets they have an intense purple pulp with pink hues. They are also known as red turnips and are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. They are also perfect during pregnancy due to their high folic acid content. The red beets they have a particularly sweet taste and for this reason they are suitable for sweet and savory preparations.

White turnips

These are the candid cousins ​​of red turnips. Excellent in soups and stewswhite turnips can also be eaten raw and thinly sliced ​​in salads, giving a fresh and sweet flavor with a really interesting crunchy note.

Radishes

The delicately spicy flavor of radishes, makes them perfect for giving more flavor to salads and pinzimonios. Also excellent to accompany some raw fish dishes, radishes are rich in potassium, iron and B vitamins.

Celeriac

Celeriac is a round root with white flesh. Its flavor is slightly balsamic and is excellent when added to soups or velvety. Thanks to its versatility, celeriac can also be used to prepare sauces and mashed potato.

Daikon

It is also called Chinese radish, even though daikon has an elongated shape, much larger dimensions than radish and is white in color. Daikon is used extensively in the Japanese food culture in which it is served raw or blanched. It contains vitamin C and is rich in antioxidants.

Horseradish

The root of horseradish it has a particularly spicy flavor and is widely used in the cuisine of Trieste in which it is called they believe. It is a white root that is grated to flavor sauces or to accompany meat dishes.

Scorzonera

It is a root very rich in vitamins and mineral salts such as potassium, iron and phosphorus. There scorzonera it is particularly widespread in Piedmontese and Ligurian cuisine. It has a pleasantly bitter taste and is eaten boiled or cooked in the oven.

Scorzobianca

Ha difference of scorzonera, in the scorzobianca the peel is white with yellowish and orange tips. It contains the same vitamins as salsify, but its taste is decidedly sweeter. This root is not eaten raw, but it is excellent fried.