Kingdom Plantae Species B. oleracea | ||
 | ||
Similar Broccoli, Chinese broccoli, Rapini, Cauliflower, Kale | ||
Broccolini vegetable health benefits side effects
Broccolini (original Japanese: ブロッコリーニ) is a green vegetable similar to broccoli but with smaller florets and longer, thin stalks. It is a natural hybrid of broccoli and kai-lan, both cultivar groups of Brassica oleracea.
Contents
- Broccolini vegetable health benefits side effects
- Pumpkin laksa with broccolini woolworths
- History
- Description
- Consumption
- Nutrition
- Climate
- Growth and distribution
- Produce reference
- References
Pumpkin laksa with broccolini woolworths
History
Broccolini was originally developed over eight years by the Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama, Japan in Salinas, California, United States in 1993 as "aspabroc". It was developed as a natural hybrid rather than being genetically modified.
Sakata partnered with Sanbon Incorporated in 1994 to begin growing commercially in Mexico under the title Asparation, chosen for undertones of Asparagus flavouring. After becoming first available in US Markets in 1996, a 1998 partnership with the Mann Packing Company and Sakata marketed it as Broccollini. In 1999, Broccolini as a registered trademark in Australia was granted to Perfection Fresh Australia by Sakata.
Description
Broccolini has a similar structure to sprouting type broccoli. It grows erect to 80 centimetres, with a slender elongated stem that is 15-30 centimetres long. It is annual or biennial, herbaceous and glabrous.
Consumption
The entire vegetable (leaves, young stems, unopened flower shoots, and flowers) is consumable. Its flavor is sweet, with notes of both broccoli and asparagus, and it is directly related to the latter.
Common cooking methods include sauteeing, steaming, boiling, and stir frying. According to a 2005 Horticulture Australia study, in Australia 78% of people steam broccolini, 53% stir fry it, and 3% eat it raw or in a salad. It is usually eaten steamed in Japan, where it is highly popular as a spring vegetable.
Nutrition
Broccolini is high in vitamin C (containing 100% of daily intake) and also contains vitamin A, calcium, Vitamin E, folate, Iron, and Potassium. It has 35 calories per serving.
Climate
Broccolini grows in cool climates, and is intolerant to extreme climates. However, it is more sensitive to cold temperatures than broccoli, but less sensitive to hot temperatures than broccoli.
Growth and distribution
It is grown near the central California coast during the spring, summer, and fall seasons and Yuma, Arizona throughout the winter. It takes 50–60 days to grow after being transplanted. It is sold throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as well as 5 states in Australia.
Produce reference
The International Federation for Produce Standards assigns it the price look-up code 3277, "baby broccoli". It is also known as asparation, asparations, bimi, broccoletti, broccolette "Italian Sprouting broccoli", and tenderstem. In the United Kingdom and Ireland it is referred to as "tenderstem broccoli". In Brazil, the common form of the word broccoli ("brócolis") refers to broccolini: the more traditional broccoli is called "brócolis americano" (American broccoli).