Not everyone understands the difference between a radish and a turnip. Indeed, root vegetables can have a similar shape and sometimes color. However, there are signs that do not allow vegetables to be confused with each other.
Content
Definition
Radish is a plant belonging to the cabbage family. Its variety, grown as a vegetable, has pinnately cut, less often whole, leaves and a thickened root eaten.
Turnip is also a representative of the cabbage family. Having a fleshy edible root, it has long been famous in Russia as an irreplaceable component of the diet. After the emergence of competition from the potato, turnip gradually lost its primary importance.
Comparison
Let's list the main features that make up the difference between a radish and a turnip:
- Form. In both cases, the roots can be round or somewhat elongated. But the turnip of many varieties is very flat, which is usually uncharacteristic for a radish.
- Color. The most common is black radish. Also, the roots of this plant can be white, purple or greenish. Turnip, in turn, is known as a pale yellow vegetable. However, not everyone knows that it can be white and even pink.
- Taste. On this basis, it is very easy to distinguish vegetables. Juicy crispy radish slices are very hot. It is this peppery flavor that gives the vegetable its spice. Turnip is much softer in this respect. In taste, it only vaguely resembles a radish, but this root crop is devoid of the same pungency. On the contrary, the turnip pulp is even sweetish.
- Culinary applications. What is the difference between radish and turnip in terms of how they are prepared? It is worth noting here that radish is usually not cooked. It is used raw in okroshka, various appetizers and salads. Most often, root vegetables are ground on a grater before adding to the dish. In a salad, radish can be the only vegetable ingredient - the grated mass is simply seasoned with oil or mayonnaise and salted to taste. As for the turnip, it is used both raw (for example, in salads) and heat-treated. The turnips are baked and stewed, stuffed and cut into pieces and added to the stew. In the old days, people loved to boil a nutritious vegetable in salted water, then heat it and season it with butter.
