Artichokes
They are spring vegetables. Pick an artichoke that is compact with tightly packed leaves. The leaves should be bright green and without blemishes or brown spots. Wash artichokes thoroughly, allowing water to run between the leaves. Before cooking the artichoke, break the stem off, remove any tough, outer leaves and snip the tips off the leaves. Be sure to use a non-reactive stainless-steel pan when cooking since artichokes will darken in aluminum or iron.

Asparagus
The Greeks and Romans considered asparagus an aphrodisiac and an antidote for bee stings and heart trouble. This unique member of the lily family is honored at two American festivals, the Stockton Asparagus Festival in California during April and the National Asparagus Festival in Shelby and Hart, Michigan, during June. Popular in Europe, white asparagus is grown underground in the absence of light. It is picked before exposure to the sun's rays, which will turn the stalks purple. White asparagus tends to be thick and smoother than the green spears. Usually, firm, crisp stalks with compact heads and bright color are recommended. For even cooking, try to pick similar-sized stalks. Contrary to popular belief, tenderness is related to color, not thickness. The greener the asparagus, the better. The purple-tipped, bright green spears harvested at the beginning of the season are the most tender. Thickness is actually an indication of the plant's age - the older the plant, the thicker the asparagus. Avoid spotted or limp stalks. Fresh asparagus will only keep for a few days. When storing, wrap in damp cloth and keep refrigerated. Cook within 3 days of purchase. Bend the stalk to snap off the tough stem end before cooking. Overcooking asparagus causes it to lose flavor and nutrients. Cook until stalks are tender but firm.

Baby Bok Choy
Baby bok choy is often available at a very young stage with just four or six tender leaves. It is sweet and juicy.

Bamboo Shoots
The shoots of the bamboo are cut when they have grown about 15 cm above the ground. Bamboo shoots are cream colored and shaped like small pinecones. There are several kinds of bamboo shoots. The winter variety is recommended for its firm texture and flavor. They need to be peeled and the inner, white part boiled for 30 minutes in water. The canned variety needs to be boiled for only 10 minutes and may be used immediately in soups or curries. Canned bamboo shoots, once fridge, if the water is renewed every day.

Bok Choy
It is sometimes called Chinese white cabbage. It has a bright green leaf and a chalky white stalk with small yellow flowers. Some have short, thick stalks while others have long, narrow stalks, but they all have more or less the same shape. It has a slightly sweet, mild cabbagy-turnip flavor and juicy stalks. It is available throughout the year in Asian groceries and supermarkets.

Chard
Bunches with crisp stalks and bright leaves should be chosen. As chard is very perishable, avoid limp or spotted leaves. Store and prepare chard as for spinach. The leaves need thorough washing: rinse until no sand or debris is visible. Store unwashed chard in sealed plastic for up to four days in the refrigerator. If blanched first, the leaves can be frozen. Blanched stems can be frozen as well, but they lose their firmness when defrosted.

Daikon (Chinese Radish)
Daikon is a large, long, tapered, sweet and juicy radish. It is often spicy when raw. Its texture is like that of a juicy turnip. When cooked, its milk-white flesh becomes translucent and gets sweeter. Peeled and shredded daikon tossed with rice vinegar and soy sauce can be an ingredient of salad. Cooked, sliced daikon adds substance and mellow flavor to soups and stews.

Dandelion greens
Look for: This bane of the suburban lawn can be found in the wild or cultivated. The most tender greens are found in the spring before flowering. Rich in vitamin A, dandelions are said to be a good decongestant, system cleanser, and diuretic.Choose brightly colored leaves with no wilting. Try to avoid greens with brown spots. Usually, the paler the leaf, the more tender the taste. Use small, pale leaves for salads. Large, darker leaves can be used for cooking. Wrapped tightly in plastic, dandelions with roots will keep longest. Like lettuce and other leafy greens, dandelions need thorough cleaning to remove dirt and soil. Submerge greens in water and rinse. Repeat until water runs clear of residue.

Eggplant (Banana Eggplant)
Eggplant ranges from short and plump to long and slender. Long and narrow, these eggplants are sweeter and have fewer seeds than the common thicker variety. They come in various colors: purple, magenta, pink, creamy white, light green, or even delicately striped. Choose fruits that are firm and shiny; avoid limp or dull-skinned fruits. To check ripeness, press the eggplant with your finger - if you leave an indent, it's ripe. Like avocados and apples, eggplant meat discolors quickly after peeling. To prevent this, remove the skin right before using and rub a lemon over the flesh. To get rid of some of the eggplant's bitterness, salt the vegetable and let sit for about 20 minutes; rinse before using. The salt also helps eliminate moisture. Yet, salting or peeling is not required for fresh eggplants, which are less bitter under the skin.

Fiddlehead ferns
Fiddlehead ferns take their name from their shape, which is similar to the head of a violin. They are usually available in Spring. Since they do not store well, cook your fiddlehead ferns shortly after purchase. As there are thousands of varieties but only a few are edible, it is important to bring a guide or be able to correctly identify the different types of ferns. Among the more popular are the ostrich fern and the buckhorn. Fiddlehead ferns must be gathered within days of emerging or else they become inedible. Choose bright green, firm and compact ferns. The vegetables should still have their brown scales. Avoid yellow or flimsy ferns. Rinse ferns well and trim the base leaving a tiny tail. Rub between hands to remove the fuzzy, brown covering. Fiddlehead ferns can be treated simply, like green beans or Brussels sprouts, or in more elaborate preparations, like artichoke hearts or asparagus.

Green Beans
Green beans are crisp, brightly colored pods with little-to-no bruises or brown spots. Fresh pods should be firm, but not dried out, and evenly shaped. Unwashed beans can be wrapped in plastic and stored for up to four days in the refrigerator. If blanched first, green beans can be frozen, but their "fresh" flavor may lose.

Jicama
Being a root vegetable, jicama is sometimes called a Mexican potato. It has a light brown skin and white flesh. When cooked, it is somewhat like a potato in texture. Unlike a potato, though, it is very crisp, with an apple-like, nutty flavor and it is just as delicious raw as cooked.

Kale
Due to kale¡¦s hardy quality, it grows in a wide variety of soil conditions and climates, but thrives in colder areas, particularly Germany, Holland, Scandinavia, and Scotland. The vegetable is famous for its resistance. Usually, deeply colored bunches of small leaves are more tender than larger ones. Avoid kale that is limp, wilting, bruised, or discolored. There are many varieties of kale. Curly kale, the most popular kind sold in U.S. supermarkets, is usually green, but sometimes is blue. Tuscan kale has deep green, almost black leaves. Red Russian and Rugged Jack have magenta stalks topped by a bouquet of blue-gray and silver-green leaves. Flowering kale comes in a variety of pastel colors, usually shades of yellow and green. Store kale carefully since it deteriorates quickly in warm areas. Before cooking, remove stems and wash the leaves thoroughly before cooking. Also, blanch the greens to help tenderize the leaves. However, if kale is served in a soup or stew, there's no need for this extra step. Since the vegetable is tough, it needs cooking for at least 20 minutes unless kale is very young.

Lettuce
The vegetable is cultivated worldwide and available all year round. There are three main varieties of lettuce: cos or romaine, which has elongated, coarse leaves; crisphead, which has a tight solid head; and butteredheas or cabbage, which has loose, coarse leaves. All are mainly used raw in salads, though can also be braised in soups.

Long beans
Chinese call it ¡§dow gok¡¨. It grows up to a foot and a half long and can be light or dark green. They should break cleanly when snapped. Use long beans soon after buying, and keep them loosely wrapped, as moisture makes them limp. Long beans are delicious broken up and served with other raw fresh vegetables and your favorite dip, or stir-fried with a black bean and garlic sauce.

Mustard Greens
Mustard greens have been cultivated since prehistoric times. In recent years, the vegetable become popular because they are low in calories and rich in vitamin A. Choose crisp leaves with rich green color. Avoid greens with yellow or brown spots or coarse, fibrous stems. Unlike other vegetables, the tenderness of mustard greens does not depend on leaf size. Choose small leaves for salads and medium to large leaves for cooking. Raw mustard greens add a peppery kick to salads. They are also particularly good in soups, steamed, or sauteed. Since the vegetable is highly perishable, fading and turning dry within a few days, it is better to use them soon after purchase. Unwashed mustard greens should be wrapped in plastic and stored in refrigerator.

Okra
Okra is available year-round. It is used as a thickening agent in soups or stews and added at the last minute to gumbo to give it a heavier consistency. Okra has firm, brightly colored pods without mold or spots. Choose okra that feels moist in your hand. Avoid okra that is especially dry to touch - dryness usually indicates a fibrous vegetable. Longer okra (around seven inches) tends to be tough, so choose smaller pods that are two to five inches in length. Okra is picked at infancy and will stay fresh for up to three days at most - after that, the vegetable becomes grainy and stringy. Store it wrapped in a paper or plastic bag in the warmest part (usually in an area on a crowded shelf, not in a drawer) of the refrigerator (temperatures below 45¢XF damage okra). Traditionally, it is recommended to cook the vegetable for 45 minutes to two hours to eliminate okra's slippery texture. Yet more recent recipes suggest a light steaming or sauteing to preserve flavor and the unique slick.

Onion
Onion is called "The King of Vegetables", not only because of its dominated taste, long reign and widespread influence but also because of its versatility. They are used as both a condiment and vegetable in almost any savory food. Fresh onions are pungent and have a sharp bite. Cooked onions lose this heat and develop a rich sweetness. There are two general types: mild-flavored or pungent, and two shapes: globe and elongated. The large Spanish varieties and Italian reds are most popular. Small-sized varieties are particularly suitable for picking. Green onions are very young onions and include leeks, shallots, chives and scallions. As spring onions or scallions, they play their part in salads in Oriental cooking. Onions are available throughout a year. In particular, shallots are most abundant in spring and summer. Onions make the perfect foundation for meats, poultry, soups, salads, and stews. Dried Onions release flavor more rapidly than freshly chopped Onions when added to a recipe. The onion is creamy and tends to turn soft quickly while cooking. The thick layers in the large onion make it perfect for slicing. The heavy rings can be lightly fried or served raw with hamburgers or salads.

Parsnips
Parsnip is a member of the parsley family. They are available year-round, but the best time to eat them is in the fall and winter when the cold weather and first frost of the season help sweeten the vegetables by turning the starch to sugar. Look for medium-size parsnips, which are more tender than larger ones. As other root vegetable, parsnips can be glazed, roasted, baked, or boiled and mashed like potatoes. Store parsnips for up to two weeks wrapped in plastic in the crisper of refrigerator. They can also be frozen.

Potatoes
Potatoes are the most consumed vegetables in the U.S. New potatoes are simply young potatoes that haven't fully converted their sugar into starch. They have a crisp, waxy texture, which makes them great for boiling or roasting. They are small enough to be cooked whole and, since they retain their shape during boiling, are perfect for salads. Choose new potatoes with thin, fragile skin. Potatoes should be firm, with no blemishes or signs of sprouting. Pick potatoes of like size for even cooking. Given their young, thin skin, it is not necessary to peel new potatoes. However, they should be scrubbed free of dirt or spots before cooking.

Pumpkins
Pumpkins are a variety of winter squash and can be prepared in the same way, but because pumpkins have a more distinct flavor as well as thicker and drier flesh, the meat is often pureed in soups and desserts. Although all pumpkins are edible, the smaller varieties are preferred for cooking because they are sweeter and more tender.
The seeds of pumpkins are also edible and make a delicious snack when washed, roasted, and salted. Heavy pumpkins are firm and evenly colored. Avoid those with cracks, blemishes, and soft or moldy spots. Pumpkins are harvested in the fall but can last for up to six months stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. They also can also be stored at room temperature for up to one month and in the refrigerator for three months.

Radicchio
The vegetable was first has long been popular in Italy in 16th Century but they are available worldwide today. Being a variety of chicory, radicchio starts out green and turns brilliant red as the weather gets cooler. Pick the compact heads with firm, white, blemish-free bases and brightly colored red leaves. Avoid any heads of radicchio with wilting or brown spots. Unwashed radicchio can be stored, wrapped in plastic, for up to one week in the refrigerator. It is commonly used raw in salads, but also stands up well to grilling, sauteing, or baking. You can substitute radicchio for Belgian endive or chicory in most recipes.

Rhubarb
Rhubarb takes its name from the Latin reubarbarum, which means "roots of the barbarians." While hothouse rhubarb can be found year-round, field-grown rhubarb is available from late winter through early summer, with a peak from April to June when it is most flavorful. Select firm, crisp stalks free from blemishes or brown spots. Discard any leaves or roots from the stalk, since they are toxic. Rhubarb won't keep long. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate; store up to 3 days.

Salsify
Salsify, a root vegetable, is also called an oyster plant because of its delicate, oyster-ish flavor. Shaped like a parsnip, salsify usually has white flesh and grayish skin. Some specialty varieties have golden skin or black skin.

Scallions
A scallion is a young onion with long green stems and a small white bulb at the root end. It is widely used in Chinese cooking for its crisp, sharp fresh taste and its bright green and white color.

Snow Peas
Snow peas should be crisp and sweet. Pick peas that are bright green and shiny with no dry spots. The pods should be firm and smooth looking. Unlike peas that are shelled, these peas have thin, edible pods. They are delicious blanched, stir-fried or chopped into 1-inch pieces and tossed into green salads. Although thought to be Chinese in origin, there is some evidence that snow peas were first cultivated in Europe. The Cantonese name for them is ho man dow, or "Holland bean".

Sorrel
Sorrel is a spring vegetable. Choose sorrel with bright green, glossy leaves. They should be firm with no signs of wilting or yellowing. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. To remove the stem before cooking, fold the leaves in half vertically and pull the stem. Cooking sorrel in aluminum or iron pans blackens the leaves. Use stainless steel when cooking or cutting the greens.

Summer Squash
Summer squash is available in summer. Choose firm crookneck squash with no signs of shriveling or brown spots. Though crooknecks can grow as large as 11 inches long, the mid-size squash, about five to seven inches, are the most flavorful. Like crookneck, smaller patty pans are most desirable. Zucchini should have a bright skin free of bruises and brown spots. Younger, usually smaller, zucchini are more tender. All summer squash can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. It is not necessary to remove the skin before cooking patty pans or zucchini. Squash blossoms are edible. Popular in Italian cooking, the blossoms should only be stored a day or two before cooking. They are traditionally fried in a light batter, or added raw to a salad.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes and yams are not the same vegetable. The former is originated in Latin America while the latter comes from South Africa. Sweet potatoes have more flavor and vitamins than yams but less natural sugar and moisture. Choose small- to medium-size sweet potatoes without bruises, soft spots, or sprouts and those with the most uniform color and evenly tapered ends. Avoid store the sweet potatoes in refrigerator as cold temperatures dull the taste of harvested sweet potatoes. Instead, store them in a cool, dry place for up to ten days and discard if sprouts begin to grow. Sweet potatoes are easily bruised so treat them with care. However, cooked sweet potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for several weeks. The vegetable can be substituted for potatoes and winter squash in most recipes. It is often baked or boiled and excellent for microwaving.

1. Trapa natans: it has an edible seed and a floury texture and is eaten raw, roasted or boiled in Central Europe and Asia. A related aquatic plant, ling, is grown in China, Korea and Japan. Its seeds are eaten boiled or preserved in honey and sugar, or used for making flour.
2. Chinese water chestnut (ma tai in Chinese): it is a tuber, which is cultivated in the East Indies, China and Japan. It is used sliced as a vegetable and is often bought canned outside Asia.

If you can't find the fresh water chestnuts, use the canned or substitute jicama, a tuber that also has a crisp white flesh and can be found in Asian and Latin markets and some supermarkets. Fresh water chestnuts bruise and spoil easily, so choose the very hard ones with no soft spots. Free of any blemishes, fresh water chestnuts will keep for weeks in the refrigerator vegetable compartment. Peeled, they can be frozen raw for a month or so.