Known also as a rooseheart, red meat or Chinese daikon radish, the watermelon radish is an edible vegetable that belongs in the same family as broccoli and turnips, but stands out from both thanks to its unique appearance. This eye-catching veggie boasts a green and cream-coloured skin and a magenta centre, giving it its watermelon-like appearance. Although not sweet or juicy like watermelon, this radish is crisp, with a peppery taste that can be served fresh and cooked. This visually unique vegetable is also quite versatile, complementing a variety of other kitchen ingredients in salads, coleslaw and noodle dishes and can be braised, sauteed, mashed and fried.

If you like to grow vegetables in the backyard, you can purchase radish watermelon seeds and grow your own or look out for them throughout winter at your local farmers marking. As for some recipe ideas, start simple with a watermelon radish salad with avocado vinaigrette or a watermelon radish and goat’s cheese salad. If you can’t get enough of the vegetable, get creative and whip up a pot roast with watermelon radish and miso, sticky kicking chicken with watermelon radish and crunchy noodles, a farro stew with peas, green garlic and watermelon radish or even a watermelon radish tart with lemon thyme.