General Information
Name: Sunbulb
Class: Botanical
Type: Rootcrop
Colour: Above ground: Pale yellow-green stems with slight orange veins near the base. Below ground: White outer root, vibrant orange core.
Smell: Raw stem: Sour-grassy, like torn dandelion. Raw bulb: Mild and nutty, with a hint of earth.
Description: Sunbulbs are squat-rooted plants that thrive throughout Keldrath. From a dense central cluster of yellow-green stems, a buried taproot grows — fist-sized in wild plants, but cultivated varieties can reach up to a full palm's length. The stem cluster has a thick, green appearance, featuring greasy outer skin and soft pulp beneath. The edible bulb lies just beneath the surface, typically surrounded by a ring of shallow, hair-like roots. Once loosened, it can be easily pulled out by hand. The flesh under its chalk-white outer layer is rich orange, dense, and filled with starch and slow sugars. Highly valued for its nutritional balance and versatility, sunbulbs are a foundational food featured in many recipes. They can even be eaten raw in desperate times. These plants require little water and mature within a season, making them a reliable staple. In high-sun areas, the stalks tend to thicken, but wild plants also thrive well in partial shade.
Properties: Edible when raw or cooked. It has a mildly sweet flavor and a firm texture. High in starch, it provides long-lasting energy. It supports digestion and helps stave off fatigue. When cellared, dried, or buried in cold ash, it has a long shelf life. The orange color gradually fades when dried.
Harvesting & Processing
Harvesting: Bulb: Use a digging stick or your hands to loosen the soil around the base. Gently grasp the stem cluster and pull it out; avoid using excessive force, as this may damage the plant. If necessary, clean the outer skin with a cloth or scrape it away with a stone. Stems: Harvest the stems by separating them along with a thin strip of the bulb. These can be sundried and crushed to create an excellent feed for home-kept fish. The stems are favored by Draks and will typically regrow in about three days when eaten gently from the still-growing plant, though they will not regrow if cut.
Processing: Boil the bulbs in water, roast them over a fire, or slice and fry them in Drak grease. When cooked, the bulbs become soft and slightly sweeter. The stems, which are separated from the bulbs, are typically fed to Draks. Some cooks prefer to separate the orange core to use it with different cooking techniques.
Storage: Short Term: Store whole bulbs in Flaxroot made sacks or baskets, in cool and dark places. Good for up to two weeks. Long Term: Keep the stems uncut and bury them in dry Flamor ash. They will last the entire winter if kept dry and undamaged. Sliced bulbs can be sun-dried and stored for months; they are often boiled back into stews or soups.