Turnips

Turnips are starchy vegetables belonging to theBrassicaceaefamily which also includes cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts etc. Though we usually refer to the bulbous roots as turnips, their sprouts and leaves are also edible and highly nutritious, and are used in European, Asian and Eastern American cuisines. Their bulbous roots are often diced or chopped and pickled whereas its greens are used in stews and soups. Baby turnips are quite delicious, tender and sweet and thus, can be added to salads and eaten raw. As a turnip matures, its flavor becomes more pronounced and its texture firm and woody. The inner flesh of this vegetable is white in color with tinges of purple to pink to red whereas the skin color of the root bulb depends on the amount of sunlight it receives and is usually white. These vegetables are generally conical in shape but sometimes they can also be round shaped. Their maximum weight can reach up to 1 kg. Their leaves taste somewhat like mustard whereas the roots have a mild pungent flavor with a hint of bitter sweetness. The peak season for turnips is fall or winter months.