Fresh Veggies
Buy Indian Vegetables Online in Canada — Fresh Veggies & Everyday Produce
Fresh vegetables are the one order you do not want to wait on, and GoDirect delivers produce same-day across the Greater Toronto Area. The range covers both the everyday basics — onions, potatoes, tomatoes and carrots — and the Indian vegetables that are hard to find on a regular supermarket run, so a full week of cooking fits into one delivery.
The desi vegetable rack reads like a north Indian sabzi mandi. There is karela (bitter gourd) for a Punjabi bharwan karela, lauki (Indian long squash) for lauki chana dal or a Gujarati kofta, bhindi (okra) for bhindi masala, baingan (eggplant, regular and large) for a smoked Punjabi baingan bharta or a Hyderabadi baghara baingan, mooli (white radish) for mooli ke parathe, shalgam (turnip) for the winter shalgam sabzi, methi (fenugreek greens) for aloo methi and Gujarati thepla, and Indian red carrot, the sweet deep-red gajar that shows up every winter. Green chillies come as Green Thai Chillies and long green chilli, and the aromatics are all here: fresh ginger, garlic and peeled garlic, curry leaves for a South Indian chhonk, fresh coriander (cilantro) and fresh mint, sold loose and by the bunch.
Everyday produce is stocked deep. Onions come red, yellow and white, loose or by the bag; potatoes as white, yellow, russet and mini, loose or bagged; tomatoes as Roma and cherry. There is capsicum in green, red, yellow, orange and rainbow bell peppers, green and red cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, green beans, green onion, celery, parsley, iceberg lettuce, cucumber (English, long and mini seedless), zucchini, beetroot, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, white and cremini mushrooms whole or sliced, and lemons and limes. Organic ginger and organic turmeric (haldi) are available too.
Because produce is bought differently by different households, sizes range from single pieces and 100 g, 250 g and 500 g portions through 1 kg, 1 lb, 2 lb, 3 lb and 5 lb packs and bunches, up to 7 lb, 10 lb, 25 lb and 50 lb bags and cases for large families, caterers and restaurants. Some items are sold loose so you can take exactly what you need, and there are weekly mixed and veggie baskets if you would rather have the week decided for you.
A practical tip on keeping it all fresh: herbs like coriander, mint, methi and curry leaves last far longer if you trim the stems, wrap the bunch loosely in a paper towel and keep it in a sealed bag in the fridge — do not wash them until you cook. Onions, potatoes and garlic want the opposite: a cool, dark, airy spot outside the fridge, and stored apart from each other so they do not sprout. Tomatoes hold their flavour better on the counter than in the fridge, and leafy greens should be the first thing you cook in the week.
Frequently asked questions
Which Indian vegetables do you carry?
Karela (bitter gourd), lauki (Indian long squash), bhindi (okra), baingan (eggplant, regular and large), mooli (white radish), shalgam (turnip), methi (fenugreek greens) and Indian red carrot, plus Green Thai Chillies and long green chilli, fresh ginger, garlic and peeled garlic, curry leaves, fresh coriander and fresh mint. Organic ginger and organic turmeric (haldi) are stocked as well.
How do I cook karela so it is not too bitter?
The Punjabi way is to scrape the ridged skin, slit the karela, rub it inside and out with salt and set it aside for half an hour, then squeeze out the dark water and rinse. After that it takes a slow bhuna with sliced onion, amchur and a little gur, which balances what bitterness is left. For bharwan karela, stuff the salted shells with the masala, tie them with thread and shallow-fry on low heat until the skin blisters. Buy the Bitter Gourd (Karela) loose so you can pick firm, tight-skinned ones.
How do I stop bhindi from going slimy?
Water is the enemy. Wash the Okra (Bhindi) first, then wipe every pod completely dry and let it sit a while before you cut it — a wet knife or a wet pod is what draws out the sticky lubricant. Cook it in a wide pan on high heat without a lid, do not stir too often, and add salt and tomato only near the end. A squeeze of nimbu or a pinch of amchur at the finish cuts the last of it. That is bhindi masala the way it is made across Delhi, UP and Punjab.
What carrot should I use for gajar ka halwa?
The Indian Red Carrot — the deep-red, sweeter, less woody gajar that comes in through the winter and is the whole reason halwa is a cold-weather dish in Delhi and Punjab. Grate it, cook it down slowly in full-fat milk until the milk has gone, then finish with ghee, sugar, elaichi and dry fruit. Orange carrots work if red are out of season, but the colour and sweetness are milder. We also stock plain Carrot and Baby Cut Carrot for everyday cooking.
Can I buy vegetables loose, and do you have bulk or case sizes?
Both. Many items — onions, potatoes, ginger, beetroot — are sold loose so you can take just what you need, and the same vegetables are also available bagged, from single pieces and 250 g and 500 g portions up to 1 lb, 2 lb, 3 lb, 5 lb and 10 lb packs. For caterers, restaurants and large households there are 25 lb and 50 lb bags, cases of cucumber, green onion and coriander bunches, and boxes of spinach.
Do you deliver fresh vegetables same-day in the GTA?
Yes. GoDirect delivers fresh produce the same day across the Greater Toronto Area — add your vegetables to the cart and choose an available delivery slot for your city at checkout, so they arrive fresh rather than sitting in transit.