Sponsored by
Titchmarsh's taste for the exotic
Alan Titchmarsh chats about the different varieties of exotic fruit and veg which can be grown in the UK.
I caught up with gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh recently to chat about the different varieties of exotic fruit and veg which we can now grow here to pep up curries, stir-fries and other cosmopolitan dishes.
The genial TV presenter is currently on a mission to encourage gardeners to grow their own fruit and veg, but his latest book, The Kitchen Gardener, also offers advice on how to expand your culinary repertoire by growing items such as lemon grass, Thai basil and kiwi fruit.
"There was a time, of course, when courgettes and sweetcorn were considered exotic," he muses. "Sweetcorn does like a good summer still, but we have more varieties now which are bred for cooler summers, such as North Star. They do better in a colder climate because they grow faster."
Sprouting seeds, which are dead easy to grow without soil, pots or even a garden, add zest to stir fries and salads. These include fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), spicy sprouts ideal for stir-fries, aduki beans (Vigna angularis), slightly spicy-tasting beans with large seeds, and mung bean (Vigna radiata), the original Chinese beansprout, star of a million take-aways.
Oriental leaves including pak choi, mizuma and Chinese mustard greens are also easy to grow and not very time-consuming. Some are used as baby salad leaves, others in stir-fries. As a general rule, they should be sown outside from May to August (pak choi from mid-June), where you want the crops to grow.
Many of the newer ingredients which we want to grow ourselves, such as lemon grass, will need to be grown under glass, he admits.
"You can't grow lemon grass outside because it's too tender. It's best grown indoors at room temperature in the winter, but it can be put in the conservatory or out on the patio in summer."
The bases of the grassy stems are the only bits that are any good for cooking and are particularly good in Thai dishes. But be warned, lemon grass is quite a large, coarse, grassy, unattractive plant with sharp-edged leaves which can be hazardous if you have small children.
Thai basil is another one to try at home, although it can be tricky, says Titchmarsh.
"Basil likes a warm climate. I grow it in pots in the greenhouse. It's a Mediterranean plant and you need to sprinkle a few seeds in a pot every couple of weeks and you've always got a succession coming along. As long as you've got a well-lit windowsill or a porch just to give it an umbrella from the worst of the weather, it'll be okay."
Cape gooseberries, usually served at the side of your plate for decorative purposes in upmarket restaurants, are another less well-known fruit. The fruit can also be used for making jam and do best in a greenhouse. They are an acquired taste and Titchmarsh admits he doesn't like them, but you'll impress your dinner guests if you have grown your own decorative additions.
"Don't think they're anything like the Chinese lantern flower in your border because they're a different species. But you can grow them.
"You might also fancy trying their close cousin, tomatillo, which is currently enjoying a minor surge in popularity as an ingredient of authentic Mexican salsa."
Titchmarsh does have a personal favourite veg, which is a far cry from the exotic - red onions.
"I use them in so many dishes. They are that much sweeter than ordinary white onions and all you need is olive oil in a pan, chop up a red onion and think what else you are going to put in, either an egg for an omelette or a bit of rice and make it into a risotto. It's so versatile and dead easy to grow. All you need are sets and you're half way there."
:: The Kitchen Gardener, by Alan Titchmarsh, is published by BBC Books, priced 20.
BEST OF THE BUNCH - Primula
There is a primula for every spot in the garden and so many different colours from which to choose, that every home should have one. This diverse group of herbaceous perennials grows naturally in many habitats, from boggy marshes to woodland and alpine areas. Most bloom in early spring and early summer.
Primulas are divided into three groups: candelabra, producing rings of flowers all the way up the stem and look great at the edge of a pond or in a shady glade; auricula, evergreen types which have been highly bred and have fantastic markings suiting cottage-style plantings; and polyanthus, the most familiar group which includes native primroses and cowslips and the bright, bold-flowered polyanthus used in spring bedding.
Good varieties include P. denticulata, or drumstick primrose, and the candelabra type P 'bulleyana', which grows to 60cm (2ft), producing orange-yellow flowers.
Generally, they do best in partial shade and soil rich in humus. Dig in plenty of well-rotted organic matter before planting and mix coarse grit into the soil if you are planting alpine species.
GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT - Sowing peas
One of my abiding memories of childhood is shelling fresh peas into a bowl for my mother and eating quite a few as I went. I like them raw in salads as much as cooked, so get sowing now. Sow peas under cover in modules. If you have a small garden but want to make the best use of vertical space, choose a tall variety such as 'Alderman' and give it good support.
However, there are many much shorter cultivars, including dwarf varieties, which are virtually self supporting and suitable for containers.
Peas like rich, moisture-retentive soil which has been enriched with compost or well-rotted manure. This will help see them through hot weather, which they dislike. You'll need to water them well and mulch around the base of the plants.
Pea seedlings can be transplanted into the ground when they are around 10cm (4in) tall, and if the weather is cold protect them with fleece. Insert supports around the plants.
Sowing seed in a single row or pair of rows works best for taller varieties as it makes it easier to support them and give good ventilation around the plants. Keep them well supported and water well once flowering has begun to allow the pods to swell properly. Harvest them regularly to ensure they are at their peak.
THREE WAYS TO... Train climbers successfully
1. Space trellis or support wires 10cm (4in) from a wall to allow air circulation between the plant and the wall. This stops the plant from overheating and prevents problems caused by damp.
2. Don't worry if a container-grown climber you've just bought doesn't bloom again for several years after planting as the plant has been given a bigger root run. It will generally start flowering again when it is well established.
3. If climbers become bare at the base, use the bare stems as a support to train fast-growing annual climbers such as asarina or canary creeper.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
:: Plant lily bulbs outside where you want them to flower or in pots for planting out later.
:: Plant out onion sets to their required spacing, usually about 10-15cm (4-6in) apart along the row.
:: Hard-prune stems of dogwoods and willows to encourage a flush of new shoots.
:: Lift and divide marginal plants which have grown too large.
:: Improve drainage by hollow spiking the lawn to help prevent the problem recurring.
:: Keep grass trimmed away from the base of trees growing in grass, as this can compete for moisture and nutrients.
:: Finish winter-pruning gooseberries, shortening long site shoots and removing congested stems to create open-centred bushes.
:: Protect the blooms on cherries, currants and early-flowering fruit from frost.
:: Cover soil in the kitchen garden with polythene or cloches to warm it up for early sowings.
:: Open the lids on cold frames each morning to improve ventilation, closing them again each evening.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Bedford
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 5 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
