Lily Pop , Anyone?

Water Lily aka 'Bhet phool' aka  'Shapla'

Almost every family in the north east India owns a pond. And gracing almost every pond is a family of Water Lilies. White, red and purple, the Lilies are called 'Bhet phool' or 'Shapla'(which is also the national flower of Bangladesh) and are a great attraction among local kids. The reason? The pop seeds of the Lilies, or, as we kids called them 'Lily Pops.' 


Its very easy to make Lily pops. The seeds in the Lily pod look very much like mustard seeds. Dry them in the sun and fry them later in a vessel until they pop. Don't forget to put the lid on. Lightweight and munchy, they are quite a delight! And the fact that its a free treat adds to the fun :)


The stalks of the Lily is also edible. Peel off the outer fiber and cook the inner, softer, fleshy part like you would cook a zucchini or a ridge gourd (tori/turai). You can cook them as a separate dish or as an add on. The taste is unforgettable!


So, go ahead, give yourself a free gift - a bowl of Lily pops! 

A Mouthful of Colors!

Impatiens Balsamina aka Rose Balsam aka Dopati aka Gauri Shankar.

Red, purple, white, pink, mauve and orange - they come in all colors, are easy to grow and are a joy to look at.But what most people don't know is that they are also edible. Yes, I am talking about Impatiens Balsamina aka Rose Balsam aka Dopati aka Gauri Shankar.

There are so many ways one can eat a Rose Balsam! My personal favorite is what my mother makes - the 'Kofta'! Make little balls of the petals, dip them in a batter of your choice (chickpea powder or rice powder or corn flour), shallow fry and then cook them in a curry with sliced potatoes. 

The other way is to add the outer petals to your salad. And then you can also dry the seeds of rose balsam, grind them and add a pinch to your tea. But, as I said, nothing beats the kofta curry!

Go ahead, add a dash of colors to your palate today!

Sawtooth - The Magic Appetizer!

It smells great. And when added to your dish,  it will get an aroma so heavenly, you will drool all the way to the dining table. A little spiky, a little pricky and very, very aromatic, this is Sawtooth, one of my most favorite herbs!

Sawtooth, also known as Thorny/Pricky Coriander, Bar Dhaniya, Ban Dhaniya, Pak Chi Pharang and Ngo Gai

Found across North east India, I have never seen it anywhere else outside the region. In fact, even in the north east, it's a rare sight these days. Is this because of the changing climate?

Land Lotus - A Magnificent Edible Flower!

'It must be the season' - the voice of  Joan Baez fills in my room as I write the first of my whispering green stories. And indeed, it IS the season of the green (or, shall I say pink?) I am going to write about today: the Land Lotus.


The tree of the land lotus can grow as big as 8 feet,but its branches are very light and fragile. From August, I would wake up early and look all over the tree in our garden for the sign of  a bloom. And one day - not before mid-September though- I would see two or three of the magnificent beauties spreading their pink petals.

The Land Lotus (Also known as Confederate Rose,Cotton Rose or Cotton Rosemallow)

Pink in the early morning, the color of the flower changes, growing one shed darker every hour. And then, by sunset, its almost red!


That this is an edible flower is something I learnt form my granny.

Introducing - The Whispering Greens

Growing up in the hill region of North east India, I heard the whispers of healing greens all around me. From the front door of  our house  to sprawling garden, from the ghats of our pond to the arch over our main gate, they were everywhere - the herbs, the edible flowers and the big trees with so much healing properties.

As I grew up and moved from place to place, the whispers have been my constant companions, helping me spot them elsewhere. I walk with my eyes on the ground, looking for these healing greens.  From the Nandadevi National Park on the Himalayas to the abandoned mines of Jharkhand,  from the rain forests of  Assam to the sandy roads of Goa, I have found them everywhere.


The whispers have beckoned me all the way to Tibet where I found some the rarest of the greens. Of late, I have started to grow them wherever I live. This is my blog where I  will share with you the stories of this amazing bounty of nature - the healing greens.