Food identification problems ...

[NotQuiteCockney]

I keep peering at these big weird fruits, they look like porcupines, and are bigger than footballs. Not sure what they are.

Also, there are strange little root veg, that look all scaly.

Any ideas? Any fruit or veg that you keep seeing, but don't know what they are?

EEH we don't ave them oop north lass

Breadfruit or soursops i reckon

I thought the big ones might be Durian?

They're absolutely bloody huge. Normally in bengali shops - as are the little scaly things.

Hmmm, they do look like breadfruit - are breadfruit bloody huge? And sometimes not bright green?

this is a soursop and this is a breadfruit, which is usually about the size of a football.

Any chance it was one of these? Although Durians smell revolting and you would have mentioned that.

i think porcupines are durian. dunno re scaleys but you are not making them sound nice. ask in shop? have you seen the sort of warty cucumber things, they are vilely bitter.

They wouldn't have durians in many shops because of stench.

Ok, looked at pics, it's breadfruit, not durian. I was wondering why durian was so popular in London, I thought it was a Malay thing really.

So what's breadfruit for? Does anyone here eat it?

I get tired of looking stupid in local shops. I bought the pale purple aubergines once, and felt bad enough asking about those.

The scaly thing really looks like a root veg, not unlike jerusalem artichokes, only scaly, and more round. Similar size.

What is the warty cucumber thing? I like the white radish.

oh are scaley jobs kohl rabi?

No no, more brown, and actually scaly. (Kohlrabi is lovely, we eat it in salads, it's like brocolli hearts)

i did think you must know them. heavenly grated with carrot and a bit of lemon juice.

will look for scaly roots in local shop, they think i am very funny there and will explain if i ask. the warty cucumber is best avoided, it is truly bitter like pomegranate pith. chinese pal gave me some yuckeroo it had gone soggy as well.

We do so well for random fruit and veg locally - Turkish shops, Bengali shops (ok, granted, I don't use them, I don't need okra, and only rarely need the lovely white radish), and even an Afro-Caribbean market stall.

Fantastic NQC.
Ask the people in the shops what they do with them.
I always do.
I saw and cooked with some amazing stuff in Turkey.

Yeah, I know, I should be braver, the Turkish guys are very friendly and helpful, the Afro-Caribbean guy too, but the Bengali shopkeepers are less friendly, ime.

Oh,I think you would be pleasantly surprised!

Hmm, well, I have asked before, and they've not been very chatty. They're not rude or anything, but they aren't interested in explaining things to me.

(I'm not sure relations between the white and bengali communities are that good here, tbh.)

Might be easier if you were a bloke, especially if they are strict Muslims.
Dh??
My parents live in Saudi and my father does a lot of this as not really considered appropriate for women.

it can be quite daunting to go into some shops, no matter how confident one feels generally. there are a few near me i've not been into. thinks... russian and indian but cannot see into either through windows so can't face going in. and my neighbours' grocer/halal butcher shop but they are a bit odd so i'd rather not.

Breadfruit is fab used in the same way as potato. It is a little more watery but has a lovely flavour. Peel it, cube it and boil it and mix it with mayonnaise and spring onions to make a totally delicious salad.

God Fishie,give me shops like that over an anonymous supermarket any day!

I use the Turkish shops all the time, I'd be mad not too, and they are very friendly. The eastern european shop is fine, too.

I don't know how strictly Muslim the shops are. I never see women working in them, come to think of it. I had suspected my gender was part of the "problem".

Oh, god, there's no way DH is going to go ask strangers about their vegetables. I don't think. It's really not his line.

Send dh in.It will be soooo different.