In Season: Winter radishes

Daikon: This Japanese root looks more like a big, white carrot than what most of us think a radish should look like. But its taste ranges from spicy to downright hot. Daikons can be eaten raw, but they are also good in sautés. I like to add some chopped-up pieces to steamed rice. They are planted in late summer and harvested in the winter.

Black Spanish radishes: I was slightly intimidated by the first black Spanish radishes I encountered. Large, round or oval with a deceptively tough-looking black skin, they could be mistaken for fossilized eggs. But the skin is delicate, the flesh dense and bright white, and the flavor — wow — potent, but it sweetens with cooking. I like to cut them into pieces and roast them with carrots and potatoes. They are a winter crop, so if you see a few still hanging around, grab them while you can.

Watermelon radishes: Technically a spring radish, these colorful guys show up in local farmers markets throughout the winter. In my opinion, they are the most entertaining of all radishes. Also called shinrimei, Chinese, red meat, beauty heart or rose-heart radishes, they are large, round and white or greenish on the outside, with a magenta to deep red center. The flavor is sweet and fairly mild, especially in the center. They are fun to serve sliced in salads or cut into wedges in sautés. In the recipe below, I combined them with red radishes.

French breakfast radishes: These finger-shaped spring radishes are coveted for their delicate flavor. Serve raw with salt, butter and bread, or braise them whole with their greens.

At local farmers markets

Arugula, beets, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, celery, collards, escarole, endive, fennel, herbs, kale, lettuce, mache, mixed greens, parsnips, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips

From farther afield

Looking good: Washington apples, Caribbean asparagus, Chilean avocados, Guatemalan beans, Chilean blueberries, California broccoli, California and New York cabbage, California carrots, Arizona and California celery, Mexican corn, Texas grapefruit, Chilean and Peruvian grapes, California and South Carolina greens, Italian kiwi fruit, California lettuce, Chilean nectarines, Arizona and California oranges, Chilean peaches and pears, Mexican radishes, Chilean raspberries, Florida strawberries

Coming in: California asparagus; Florida beans, corn, and eggplant; Argentine pears, Washington rhubarb

Variable quality: California artichokes, Mexican beans, Texas and Mexican beets, Mexican blackberries, Texas cabbage, Mexican carrots and eggplant, Texas greens, Honduran okra, Guatemalan peas, Florida radishes, California and Mexican raspberries, California spinach, California and Mexican strawberries, Florida and Mexican tomatoes

From local reports and the Packer

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Spicy Radishes With Curry Leaves

Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 20 minutes Serves: 2

Smoky and earthy, curry leaves add a distinctive note to Indian dishes that balances the heat of peppers. Serve this quick sauté over rice. A little raita – a cooling yogurt sauce flavored with cucumber, cumin and salt – is a nice touch, too.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon whole mustard seeds

1 medium onion, diced

1 sprig curry leaves (removed from stem)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 or 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, chopped

2 bunches red radishes (6 to 8 each bunch), or a mix of red and watermelon radishes, rinsed and cut into pieces

Salt to taste

Leaves from radishes (optional), coarsely chopped

In a sauté pan over high heat, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds, and when they start to splutter, add the onion, curry leaves and turmeric. Cook 3 minutes; add the garlic, chile pepper, radishes and a pinch of salt. Stir well, then cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the lid and cook another 1 to 2 minutes to evaporate any liquid. Radishes should be soft but still retain a bit of crunch. Transfer vegetables to a serving dish. Return the sauté pan to the heat and add the radish leaves. Sauté until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes, then top radish mixture with the radish leaves.

Per serving: 152 calories (percent of calories from fat, 80), 1 gram protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 3 milligrams sodium.