Hop Shoots: The World’s Most Expensive Vegetable Priced At ₹85,000 A Kilo
When we think of expensive foods, saffron, truffles, and even caviar usually come to mind. But did you know the world's most expensive vegetable is something very few people have even heard of? It's called hop shoots, and it can cost up to ₹85,000 per kilo. It's one of the rarest and most luxurious vegetables on the planet. So what exactly makes this tiny green so expensive? Let's dive in.
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What Exactly Are Hop Shoots?
Hop shoots are tender, green tips of the hop plant. This plant is more famous for its flowers that are used to brew beer. While the flowers go into beer-making, the shoots themselves are a rare delicacy. They are harvested in early spring when they first sprout from the ground. These delicate stems look like asparagus but are difficult to cultivate and harvest.
Today, this vegetable is also available in India, but in very limited quantities. A farmer in Bihar experimented with cultivating hop shoots in India and few years back, and successfully grew them. The large-scale production is still absent, making its availability rare.
What Are Hop Shoots So Expensive?
The high cost of hop shoots is not just about its rarity. Harvesting hop shoots requires intense manual labour. Most vegetables grow above the grow, but this vegetable creep close to the soil. Farmers must carefully pick them by hand, often bending for hours to collect just a handful.
Apart from this, they have a very short shelf life and are highly perishable. These factors, combined with limited availability, leads to its luxury-level price tag.
Where Are Hop Shoots Used?
Hop shoots are considered a delicacy in European fine dining. They're used in Belgium, Germany, and Italy. Chefs prize them for their subtle, slightly bitter, earthy flavour. They are served in restaurants as gourmet salads, stir-fried delicacies, and exquisite soups.
Some people also ferment them into pickles using the traditional recipes. Their exclusivity means you’re most likely to find them in Michelin-starred restaurants rather than local markets.
Health Benefits Of Hop Shoots
Hop shoots are packed with impressive health benefits. They contain natural antibiotics and antioxidants. These properties of this most expensive vegetable of the world is what makes them valuable in traditional medicine. They have compounds that can help in boosting immunity, fighting bacterial infections, supporting digestive health, and promoting overall well-being.
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