Help identify a strange root vegetable

The other day I ventured into a grocery store that sold a lot of root vegetables that I have never seen before.

One of the vegetables was a large round thing, and when I poked it, grey 'smoke' came out of it, like one of those mushrooms you stepped on as a kid. None of the vegetables were labeled, so I don't know its name.

Does anyone know if such a thing exists, and what does one do with it?

vegetables food-identification

Best Answer

Are you sure it was not in fact a puffball fungus? There are some varieties that are edible and can be found in grocery stores. Depending on how fresh, and when they were picked, they could easily be mistaken for a root vegetable. Look for pear shaped puffball here for an example. http://www.wildernesscollege.com/edible-wild-mushrooms.html

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Help identify a strange root vegetable - From above dirty roots with fertile soil of delicate small green plant prepared for gardening placed on marble table

Help identify a strange root vegetable - Purple And Red Radish in Bowl

How do you identify a root vegetable?

While each root contains its own set of health benefits, they share many of the same characteristics. Yams, beets, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, yuca, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, celery root (or celeriac), horseradish, daikon, turmeric, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, radishes, and ginger are all considered roots.

What vegetable looks like jicama?

If you are looking for a raw substitute for jicama, try daikon radish or Jerusalem artichokes. If you need a replacement for a certain cooked meal, try water chestnuts since they are nearly identical both cooked and raw, although they are slightly sweeter.

What vegetable looks like a giant parsnip?

Salsify is a root veg and looks similar to a parsnip when peeled, but don't be fooled into thinking it's the same thing. This plant actually comes from the dandelion family, and there are two varieties: black and white.

What other vegetables look like turnips?

Kohlrabi tastes like cabbage and looks like a turnip, albeit a spiney turnip that is sprouting leaves reminiscent of a cross between kale and collards. Kohlrabi resembles a root vegetable, but actually, the edible globe is the modified swollen stem of the plant and grows above ground.

Weird and wonderful root vegetables from around the world

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Karolina Grabowska, Ylanite Koppens, Karolina Grabowska, Rarnie McCudden