By Pushpesh Pant |
Up to date: Feb 22, 2022 13:20 IST
New Delhi [India], February 22 (ANI): Homer’s epic poem Odyssey mentions the ‘Lotus Eaters’ who after taking a chunk of this seductive flower forgot household and buddies. Previous recollections have been erased and so they wasted away in a trance-like stupor. Although the addictive lotus hasn’t been positively recognized, it has contributed to the mystique of edible flowers.
How simply we neglect that many greens we devour are flowers albeit missing in hallucinogenic energy. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Artichoke buds. And, the most costly spice on this planet, saffron is yielded by the crocus flower.
Pattern-setting cooks overseas had realised way back that flowers are way more than eye sweet on the plate. They not solely add rainbow tints but in addition contribute delicate aromatic flavours to the dish. This has made these working in Indian kitchens to take a seat up, take discover and emulate. They’re getting enthusiastic about Thai and Vietnamese dishes which can be flower-based.
That is ironical as we on this land have all the time consumed quite a lot of flowers. Mocha (Banana blossoms) are cooked as a stir-fried vegetable and cutlets in Bengal. In the identical state, pumpkin flowers calmly dipped in batter are deep-fried as fritters. Moringa (drumsticks) flowers are generally added to curries right here and in adjoining Jharkhand.
There are different regional favourites. Turmeric flowers are cooked with pork in Nagaland and within the hills of Uttarakhand and Himachal, sherbet with buransh (rhododendron) is ready to maintain cool within the summers. In Rajasthan, the phog (flowers of a desert shrub) are added to raitas and kadhi. Within the desert the place not a lot grows pho flowers have been combined with millet flour seasoned with salt as a meal by the poor when famine struck.
Buds of neem (margosa) are very bitter however are prized for distinctive medicinal properties. They’re chopped and dried, cooked combined with ghee and eaten in small portions with rice. In Tamil Nadu, a particular number of rasam makes use of the neem flowers. Different floral bitters which can be thought-about stunning are orange blossoms referred to as teeta phool in Assam. The Saraswat group dwelling on the western coastal belt celebrates Gudi Parva (New Yr) with stir fry purple neem leaves and flowers flavoured with pepper, cumin seeds and sugar.
Ayurvedic compendia like Bhavpraksh Nighantu dedicate a separate part to flowers that might be consumed beneficially. Supa Shastra, which paperwork the culinary practises of medieval Karnataka refers to chuchhuroti, made with palmyra flowers ghee, sugar and aromatic edible camphor. The Nematnama, an enchanting textual content compiled in the identical interval, supplies an extended checklist of edible flowers–roses, jasmine, water lilies and plenty of extra. An unique recipe mentions blue water lilies filled with boiled rice and, then steamed in a pot. Descriptions of mouth-watering pickles ready with horse radish flower and oils infused with floral fragrances and delicate tastes are additionally supplied.
Maharaja Digvijay Singh of Sailana has shared in his celebrated cookbook a recipe for tesu ka phool ki tarkari (Flame of the Forest aka Palash). The petals are first boiled after which cooked in sesame oil with onion, garlic and spices akin to cumin and mango powder to make a dry curry of types.
Different flowers like semal (purple silk cotton tree) and buds of kachnaar (Camel’s Foot Tree) until a era again have been used equally. In Awadh, some kayasath households employed it to organize vegetarian kaleji (liver) and in Delhi, kachnarkali ka salan was a well-liked seasonal delight.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the flower most popular to tickle the palate is kundrum (roselle). The leaves of this plant are referred to as gongura and have a pointy bitter style whereas the blossoms have a sexy flushing pink color and a pleasing tang. Kundrum flowers enliven many vegetarian lentil soups and non-vegetarian curries.
Solar-dried kundrum flowers are actually being bought within the cities –marketed by enterprising NGOs working with self-help teams in villages. Moreover refreshing chutneys, these are actually getting used as infusions, sherbet and preserves.
Mahua flowers are broadly utilized by tribal youngsters of forest–Gond, Korwa, Bhil, Baiga, Santhal and Munda. Not solely did these blossoms present an intoxicating beverage inducing a pleasing excessive however have been a serious supply of food in instances of shortage. Deep-fried mahua flowers are relished as a snack. In Chhota Nagpur area, Asur khichdi is ready with rice combined with flour obtained from dried mahua flowers.
The standard recipe for latta blends mahua flour and parched millets with molasses. In arid Bundelkhand, mahua incorporating gram flour and linseed is taken into account a delicacy. Mahua Poda Pitha is well-liked in villages settled within the forests of Orissa. Mahua laddoos have an extended shelf life and are believed to have distinctive tonic properties. 
We sincerely hope that the revival of curiosity in edible flowers shouldn’t be restricted to superstar cooks and evokes dwelling cooks to reclaim this distinctive heritage.
Disclaimer: The views expressed within the above article are that of the author and don’t mirror that of ANI. (ANI)
