Vegetables - Checking quality?

Aishah · Nov 5th, 2007, 16:29

Can't see anything about this here so posting new thread.
When I go to subzee mandi (vegetable market) I try to pick out what looks freshest and tastiest, but I really don't know if this is the case.
I am intrigued by the Indian women who have all sorts of 'tests' for their veggies - one is doing something with the bhindi (ocra)stalk, they break it with their fingers and then they add it to their collection for buying. I asked my subzee awrat (lady who sells the veggies) what this was, but since her language is a local dialect the explanation escaped me.Today, I bought some mouli (white radish) and took the one suggested to me by Tulsi, the subzee awrat. It looked awful but actually was good. How does she know?

Is it possible for wives/girlfriends of male Indian IM members or female Indian IM'ers to give me their hints for veggie buying when they go to market? Even after living here for some time I feel I still have a lot to learn in this area!

machadinha · Nov 6th, 2007, 06:50

No advice, except I feel a little offended with you thinking all males wouldn't know their veggies

I dunno, if it feels good, smells good, looks good, tastes good, it's usually good enough for me (and practice really does make perfect here). But I admit in an Indian market situation I'd like to know the ins & outs of it too

So, yeh, let's hear it.

Aishah · Nov 6th, 2007, 11:33

Sorry Machadinha! I include everyone of course! Asking for Indian women because they seem to be the ones who do all the scrutinizing with 'tests' here.. come to think of it my tabla teacher (male) was the cook and subzee buyer for his household!
Many apologies if any male is offended by my Post!

And in answer to yours, feel and smell can be done but tasting? The only one tasted is something like a thin cucumber called kakri (my spelling not necessarily correct) which Tulsi does with a cut on the end and licking the cut-off bit - they can sometimes be bitter. And how do you tell good looking tomatoes are all floury inside?

capt_mahajan · Nov 6th, 2007, 12:02

Ok, wife not around, so my two bits

ladyfinger: break off the tip on a sample. If it breaks with a
snap, accept.

Cauliflower: should not be brittle.

Capsicum: should look crisp. Press for springiness.

Tomatoes: red, (or not, sometimes you want the small yellowish
ones for unknown delicacies)

Apples: Red. Crisp.. ask him to chop one.

Bananas: Not black, fresh looking. Not many spots.

Guavas: chop and taste on site

Grapes: taste at own risk. They apparently absorb contaminants
easily

Melons and all other fruits and vegetables: Smell. Even if you don't know what to do with the smell, it impresses the hell out of the vendor and all bystanders.

machadinha · Nov 6th, 2007, 12:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

Even if you don't know what to do with the smell, it impresses the hell out of the vendor and all bystanders.

There's something about tapping and smelling them, yes. I can't do it. But should smell like, um, the way you would want them to.

And it sure makes a sight

Aishah · Nov 6th, 2007, 15:58

Good tips, Capt. I assume then this breaking thing with bhindi means it is more fresh if it snaps off... Capsicum springiness, yes, true, I could add the shrivelled up ones you see here later in the week (fresh seems to be mostly Sundays) are not at all appetising!

capt_mahajan · Nov 6th, 2007, 18:11

Yep, the ladyfinger should snap off.

I rarely shop for vegetables alone (and, when I do, buy all in five minutes flat).. but all that was the principle of the thing

fakeindian · Nov 6th, 2007, 19:15

A commonsense thing to do is to establish a relationship with one vendor and stick with her. And tell her that if her stuff turns out to be bad you ain't coming back. I would imagine the vendors would also prefer loyal customers.
Fake

Nattusbs · Nov 6th, 2007, 19:31

Personally I do not like people who go to a store and break the tips of bhindi. If it does not snap, they put it back on the shelf. Typically done by Indians here in the US. One Indian store had this sign: "If you brake bhindi, double price" (yes note the spelling).

Vegetables should look and feel fresh - not saggy or limp

.

Cheers

Nattusbs

Nick-H · Nov 6th, 2007, 19:31

Might not be a bad thing establishing a relationship with the veggie seller at the end of my road.

Not for me, of course; I'm married.

And so is she...

kmalik · Nov 6th, 2007, 19:49

I had skipped this post earlier as Aishah had specifically excluded my gender

I am generally interested in improving my skills in this area myself and this topic is of great interest to me. I'll share tips for the few things I know. My learnings are based upon shopping in the US where the pickings are not so bountiful...

When picking Bhindi (I hate the term ladyfinger - as in "ladyfinger should snap off," okra is much better) also look to avoid the one's with big seeds. Typically, large onces or those that are fatter in the middle often have large seeds that are not ideal in Indian cooking. To me, bhindi shopping is, when possible, about selecting individual bhindis rather than sampling one. Sampling (snapping off) can indicate the freshness, but individual pieces can have overgrown/overripe seeds or even worms.

Along the same directions, I prefer the female eggplant over males

as they have fewer seeds. You tell that by looking at the bottom (farthest away from the stem) and look for a round (as opposed to oval) spot.

capt_mahajan · Nov 6th, 2007, 20:07

Quote:

If you brake bhindi, double price

And if it doesn't snap, half price!!

kmalik · Nov 6th, 2007, 20:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

And if it doesn't snap, half price!!

Captain - That's called age discrimination

capt_mahajan · Nov 6th, 2007, 20:22

You can't snap okra in many supermarkets here, either, they are sometimes packed ready to go

But you can
a) Buy six dinner rolls and find the packet has only five when you return home
b) Buy some nibbles (buy two and get one microwave thing free), and find you have got two microwave things free, when you return home.

Both of which happened today.

Moral of the story?: Snap the okra. Otherwise, anything can happen

the opoponax · Nov 6th, 2007, 20:52

I've never really thought about this. I shop for produce mainly in my neighborhood farmer's market, and I don't know if their vegetables are just fabulous, or if I have a sixth sense for it or what, but I've never had trouble sorting the men from the boys (the boys from the moldering geriatrics?). I tend to go for the pretty ones that catch my eye, I can't explain it. The colors have to be right. This makes no sense, I know. I also have my favorite stall, where I know I can trust the guy who runs it.

My main tip is that, almost always, smaller is more flavorful. Your eye will catch the big stuff, but what you want is the small stuff.

Nov 5th, 2007, 16:29	#1
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 5,006	Vegetables - Checking quality? Can't see anything about this here so posting new thread. When I go to subzee mandi (vegetable market) I try to pick out what looks freshest and tastiest, but I really don't know if this is the case. I am intrigued by the Indian women who have all sorts of 'tests' for their veggies - one is doing something with the bhindi (ocra)stalk, they break it with their fingers and then they add it to their collection for buying. I asked my subzee awrat (lady who sells the veggies) what this was, but since her language is a local dialect the explanation escaped me.Today, I bought some mouli (white radish) and took the one suggested to me by Tulsi, the subzee awrat. It looked awful but actually was good. How does she know? Is it possible for wives/girlfriends of male Indian IM members or female Indian IM'ers to give me their hints for veggie buying when they go to market? Even after living here for some time I feel I still have a lot to learn in this area! __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Nov 6th, 2007, 06:50	#2
machadinha Not Your Guru Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 10,561	No advice, except I feel a little offended with you thinking all males wouldn't know their veggies I dunno, if it feels good, smells good, looks good, tastes good, it's usually good enough for me (and practice really does make perfect here). But I admit in an Indian market situation I'd like to know the ins & outs of it too So, yeh, let's hear it. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Nov 6th, 2007, 19:31	#10
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 26,829	Might not be a bad thing establishing a relationship with the veggie seller at the end of my road. Not for me, of course; I'm married. And so is she... __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

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Nov 6th, 2007, 11:33	#3
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 5,006	Sorry Machadinha! I include everyone of course! Asking for Indian women because they seem to be the ones who do all the scrutinizing with 'tests' here.. come to think of it my tabla teacher (male) was the cook and subzee buyer for his household! Many apologies if any male is offended by my Post! And in answer to yours, feel and smell can be done but tasting? The only one tasted is something like a thin cucumber called kakri (my spelling not necessarily correct) which Tulsi does with a cut on the end and licking the cut-off bit - they can sometimes be bitter. And how do you tell good looking tomatoes are all floury inside?

Nov 6th, 2007, 12:02	#4
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,105	Ok, wife not around, so my two bits ladyfinger: break off the tip on a sample. If it breaks with a snap, accept. Cauliflower: should not be brittle. Capsicum: should look crisp. Press for springiness. Tomatoes: red, (or not, sometimes you want the small yellowish ones for unknown delicacies) Apples: Red. Crisp.. ask him to chop one. Bananas: Not black, fresh looking. Not many spots. Guavas: chop and taste on site Grapes: taste at own risk. They apparently absorb contaminants easily Melons and all other fruits and vegetables: Smell. Even if you don't know what to do with the smell, it impresses the hell out of the vendor and all bystanders.

Nov 6th, 2007, 15:58	#6
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 5,006	Good tips, Capt. I assume then this breaking thing with bhindi means it is more fresh if it snaps off... Capsicum springiness, yes, true, I could add the shrivelled up ones you see here later in the week (fresh seems to be mostly Sundays) are not at all appetising!

Nov 6th, 2007, 18:11	#7
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,105	Yep, the ladyfinger should snap off. I rarely shop for vegetables alone (and, when I do, buy all in five minutes flat).. but all that was the principle of the thing

Nov 6th, 2007, 19:15	#8
fakeindian Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: universe Posts: 14	A commonsense thing to do is to establish a relationship with one vendor and stick with her. And tell her that if her stuff turns out to be bad you ain't coming back. I would imagine the vendors would also prefer loyal customers. Fake

Nov 6th, 2007, 19:31	#9
Nattusbs Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Costa Mesa Posts: 356	Personally I do not like people who go to a store and break the tips of bhindi. If it does not snap, they put it back on the shelf. Typically done by Indians here in the US. One Indian store had this sign: "If you brake bhindi, double price" (yes note the spelling). Vegetables should look and feel fresh - not saggy or limp . Cheers Nattusbs

Nov 6th, 2007, 19:49	#11
kmalik Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 455	I had skipped this post earlier as Aishah had specifically excluded my gender I am generally interested in improving my skills in this area myself and this topic is of great interest to me. I'll share tips for the few things I know. My learnings are based upon shopping in the US where the pickings are not so bountiful... When picking Bhindi (I hate the term ladyfinger - as in "ladyfinger should snap off," okra is much better) also look to avoid the one's with big seeds. Typically, large onces or those that are fatter in the middle often have large seeds that are not ideal in Indian cooking. To me, bhindi shopping is, when possible, about selecting individual bhindis rather than sampling one. Sampling (snapping off) can indicate the freshness, but individual pieces can have overgrown/overripe seeds or even worms. Along the same directions, I prefer the female eggplant over males as they have fewer seeds. You tell that by looking at the bottom (farthest away from the stem) and look for a round (as opposed to oval) spot.

Nov 6th, 2007, 20:22	#14
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,105	You can't snap okra in many supermarkets here, either, they are sometimes packed ready to go But you can a) Buy six dinner rolls and find the packet has only five when you return home b) Buy some nibbles (buy two and get one microwave thing free), and find you have got two microwave things free, when you return home. Both of which happened today. Moral of the story?: Snap the okra. Otherwise, anything can happen

Nov 6th, 2007, 20:52	#15
the opoponax Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Brooklyn, via New Orleans Posts: 1,054	I've never really thought about this. I shop for produce mainly in my neighborhood farmer's market, and I don't know if their vegetables are just fabulous, or if I have a sixth sense for it or what, but I've never had trouble sorting the men from the boys (the boys from the moldering geriatrics?). I tend to go for the pretty ones that catch my eye, I can't explain it. The colors have to be right. This makes no sense, I know. I also have my favorite stall, where I know I can trust the guy who runs it. My main tip is that, almost always, smaller is more flavorful. Your eye will catch the big stuff, but what you want is the small stuff.

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