Best Asian Vegetable Types
Jinxiang Da Suan is a white garlic grown in Jinxing County in China, where the loamy soil and good air favourably influence the growing conditions. Jinxing has been known as the Garlic capital of China since the 1980s, and the export of this unique product has taken up 70% of the total garlic market in the world in the past 20 years.
On the exterior, the garlic has a skin that is brightly white in colour and is of a standard, oblate shape. On the interior, there are from eight to eleven cloves with a slightly pungent fragrance and a mildly hot flavour. In some varieties of Jinxiang garlic, the contents of trace elements like selenium can be 60 times more than those of standard garlic.
Kabocha is a Japanese variety of winter squash (more commonly known as pumpkin), beloved for its sweet flavor, which is often said to be similar to that of a sweet potato. Like all of the other squashes, the predecessor of kabocha is believed to have originated in Mesoamerica, from where it spread to other parts of the world.
Portuguese sailors introduced it to Japan in the 16th century, where it eventually evolved into the variety we know today. The exterior of the kabocha squash is dark green and hard, while the interior flesh is a vibrant orange. In addition to being sweet, kabocha is also rich in nutrients.
VARIATIONS OF Kabocha
Urfa biber is a traditional dried chili pepper originating from the city of Urfa. These peppers are distinguished by their dark burgundy color, flakes of irregular sizes, and a flavor that's best described as sweet, salty, sour, and smoky. Urfa peppers are harvested when they're orange-red or dark red, and they are then dried in the sun during the day.
At night, they're covered with plastic or fabric in order for the peppers to preserve their natural oils from the skin. As a result, the peppers become dry, but not entirely, before they're coarsely ground with a bit of salt and packed.
Kashmiri chili is an Indian hot pepper originating from Kashmir. The chili has a vibrant red color and mild levels of heat, with Scoville heat units (SHU) ranging from 1,000 to 2,000. This staple of Indian cooking is typically used dried, either as powder or flakes.
This chili variety is highly praised for its red color that gives vibrancy to tandoori chicken, vindaloo, or rogan josh. In soups and braises, Kashmiri chili is often used as a substitute for paprika powder. The dried variety is conical, wrinkled, and elongated.
Bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage (lat. Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) that features dark green leaves and white to pale green stalks, forming a cluster akin to mustard greens or celery but with a softer texture and a milder taste.
Nutritionally, bok choy is low in calories but high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like calcium and iron. It also contains important antioxidants and is a good source of fiber. Bok choy is a staple in Asian cuisine, especially in Chinese cooking.
Prik kee nu or bird's eye chilies are small, spicy chili peppers that are very popular in Thai and other Southeast Asian cuisines.
They're also commonly referred to as Thai chilies as they are the most popular variety, but they are in fact just one of many Thai chili cultivars. These chilies have a vibrant flavor and are quite hot, typically much more so than jalapeños or serrano peppers.
Chinese cabbage primarily refers to two types of leafy greens that are integral to Chinese cuisine and widely cultivated across the country: napa cabbage and bok choy. Originally, it was grown in the Yangtze River Delta region and it was popularized for its medicinal qualities.
Today, it is a staple of Chinese cuisine and it is widely used for pickling, but it is also often consumed raw, baked, or braised. The vegetable is commonly used in China, Japan, and Korea. In Japan, it is a symbol of prosperity, while in Korea it is used to produce the popular kimchi.
VARIATIONS OF Chinese cabbage
Gai lan, also known as Chinese broccoli, is a leafy vegetable characterized by its large, thick, flat leaves with fat stems. It is one of the most popular leafy vegetables used in Asian and Chinese cuisine. Gai lan can be steamed, boiled, or stir-fried.
It is used in a variety of dishes such as stir-fried noodles with beef and stir-fried gai lan with oyster sauce, which is one of the most famous dishes incorporating this healthy vegetable, rich in vitamin A, C, and K. Gai lan also contains large amounts of folic acid and dietary fiber.
Sansai is a Japanese term denoting mountain vegetables or edible wild plants which mark the beginning of spring in Japan. The vegetables and plants are foraged in the wild and they shouldn't be confused with the ones that are cultivated and harvested from fields.
Some common sansai include udo, used for its soft edible stalks that belong to the ginseng family; warabi, the shoot of a fern; fuki or butterbur, used for soups and stews; zenmai, an edible fern with uniquely coiled leaves; and nobiru, a plant similar to field garlic.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 40 Asian Vegetables” list until March 12, 2025, 1,388 ratings were recorded, of which 479 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.