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Pink of health

A Garhwali radish, small and round and pink, is just what the doctor ordered

Many people are familiar with white radish. But it also comes in black, red, purple, rose and lavender. The round, pink variety is a traditional winter vegetable in the Garhwal region, where it is known as mula, meaning root. Before the popular white radish was the small round mula. There are references that radish was introduced in China around 500 BC. The Chinese developed new varieties with larger and longer roots and a much milder taste than mula.

Mula was once a prominent vegetable crop in Uttarakhand. It grows in abundance between the altitudes of 800 metres and 2,500 metres in the Himalayan region. A few hybrid varieties of mula are also available in big stores like Spencer

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