CookingDiva

Last Tuesday I had the pleasure to visit El Jardin de las Heliconias in Volcan, where Carla Black was kind enough to share some of her precious plants with me. Now, we are planting them in our own vegetable garden! Fantastic, I am truly delighted! Muchas gracias querida Carla!

Greater Galangal (Alpinia Galanga)

From Wikipedia: The rhizome is a common ingredient in Thai soups and curries, where is used fresh in chunks or thin slices, mashed and mixed into curry paste, or dried and powdered. Indonesian rendang is usually spiced with galangal. Greater galangal is used in Russia as a flavoring for beverages, including a liqueur called nastoika.

*I often purchased dried galangal at the Asian Markets in Panama City, because I could never find it fresh. I was somehow frustrated because I remember from the cooking classes I took at The Oriental Hotel Cooking Schook in Bangkock, Thailand some years ago, that the flavour and aroma was so strong and unique fresh, BUT dried was a little plain, boring. Now I am in heaven!*

Horseradish

From Wikipedia: Cooks use the terms 'horseradish' or 'prepared horseradish' to refer to the grated root of the horseradish plant mixed with vinegar. Prepared horseradish is white to creamy-beige in color. It will keep for months refrigerated but eventually will start to darken, indicating it is losing flavor and should be replaced. The leaves of the plant, which while edible aren't commonly eaten, are referred to as 'horseradish greens.' Although technically a root, horseradish is generally treated as a condiment or ingredient.
In the USA, prepared horseradish is commonly used as an ingredient in Bloody Mary cocktails, in cocktail sauce, as a sauce or spread on meat, chicken, and fish, and in sandwiches. The American fast-food restaurant chain Arby's uses horseradish in its "Horsey Sauce", which is provided as a regular condiment, alongside ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. This is not a common practice at its major competitors.
There are several manufacturers of prepared horseradish in the United States. The largest is Gold's Horseradish in New York which sells about 2.5 million jars each year.
Horseradish sauce made from grated horseradish root and cream is a popular condiment in the United Kingdom. It is often served with roast beef, but can be used in a number of other dishes also. Also popular in the UK is Tewkesbury mustard, a blend of mustard and grated horseradish originally created in medieval times and mentioned by Shakespeare.

Camote / Boniato / Sweet Potato / Batata / Yam / Papa Dulce

From Wikipedia: Although the leaves and shoots are also edible, the starchy tuberous roots are by far the most important product. In some tropical areas, they are a staple food-crop.
"Amukeke" (sun dried slices of storage roots) and "Inginyo" (sun dried crushed storage roots) are a staple food for people in north-eastern Uganda (Abidin, 2004). Amukeke is mainly for breakfast, eaten with peanut sauce. People generally eat this food while they are drinking a cup of tea in the morning, around 10 am. Inginyo will be mixed with cassava flour and tammarind, to make food called "atapa". People eat "atapa" with smoked fish cooked in peanut sauce or with dried cowpea leaves cooked in peanut sauce.
Candied sweet potatoes are a side dish consisting mainly of sweet potatoes prepared with brown sugar, marshmallows, maple syrup, molasses, or other sweet ingredients. Often served on American Thanksgiving, this dish represents traditional American cooking and indigenous food.
Sweet potato pie is also a traditional favorite dish in southern U.S. cuisine.
Baked sweet potatoes are sometimes offered in restaurants as an alternative to baked potatoes. They are often topped with brown sugar and butter. In Dominican Republic sweet potato is enjoyed for breakfast.
Sweet potato fries are another common preparation, and are made by julienning and deep frying sweet potatoes, in the fashion of French fried potatoes.
Sweet potato leaves are a common side dish in Taiwanese cuisine, often boiled with garlic and vegetable oil and dashed with salt before serving. They are commonly found at bento (POJ: piān-tong) restaurants, as well as dishes featuring the sweet potato root.
The young leaves and vine tips of sweet potato leaves are widely consumed as a vegetable in West African countries (Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia for example), as well as in northeastern Uganda, East Africa (Abidin, 2004). According to FAO leaflet No. 13 - 1990, sweet potato leaves and shoots are a good source of vitamins A, C, and B2 (Riboflavin), and according to research done by A. KHACHATRYAN, are an excellent source of lutein.
Steamed/Boiled chunks, for a simple and healthy snack, chunks of sweet potato may be boiled in water or cooked in the microwave.
Sweet potato chips can be sliced, fried, and eaten just like potato chips or french fries.