Celery

If You Read Nothing Else

Celery is about 95% water, so a large plate of it is a small amount of food.

One stalk carries around 25 mg of potassium and a useful share of the day's vitamin K.

Frying the stalks before they meet liquid is what stops khoresh-e karafs turning to mush.

In Iran, karafs is grown for both its stalks and leaves, and Persian cooks make good use of each. They cut the stalks short and fry them so they hold their shape, then add the leaves with mint and parsley. Celery is mostly water, so it gives a stew freshness and body without making it heavy. Even after an hour of simmering, you can still tell exactly what it's.

Known to botanists as Apium graveolens.