The neem flower article turned out to be a revelation to so many people. Considering it grows everywhere and has played a crucial role in the South Indian diet for centuries, I was more than a little surprised when a large number of readers admitted their ignorance of the same.
The neem flower article turned out to be a revelation to so many people. Considering it grows everywhere and has played a crucial role in the South Indian diet for centuries, I was more than a little surprised when a large number of readers admitted their ignorance of the same.
That sort of led me thinking about the satisfaction people derive when connected with an ingredient growing in and around their own neighbourhood. The harvest idea for this week goes along the same line of thought.
At this time of the year the city looks like it’s in (for want of a better word) ‘alangaram’, thanks to the cascading yellow boughs of the short-term seasonal Cassia fistula tree. It’s also known as golden rain (shower) tree, Indian laburnum or Konnapoo. It’s the most important floral offering during Vishu celebrations and has become increasingly popular for Tamil New Year as well. While we in Coimbatore connect with this tree as being native to the South of India, in Thailand it is in fact their national tree, with the yellow flowers being a symbol of Thai royalty!
It wasn’t until 2 years ago that I became aware of the fact that these flowers were edible. The owners of a farm stay at Sethumadai served us a konnapoo chutney along with breakfast. The chutney was quite delicious and I couldn’t wait to try it out for myself.
For me the excitement of considering this as an edible ingredient was also because I would feel rather sad to see these pretty blossoms wither and fall to the ground.
Another fact with seasonal recipes is that they allowed the body to function to it’s optimum according to the conditions of the weather. Edible flowers digest easily and therefore does not task the digestive system in a manner that would increase the body heat. This is the reason that cooling foods are recommended in the hot summer months. It makes it much easier to get through the day when our dietary intake is conducive to the seasons.
In current times when people talk of gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan etc. one actually realises that so many foods prevalent in the Indian diet can be easily adopted to sustain these food restrictions. Recently we cooked a meal for friends who follow the jain philosophy of not eating root vegetables. The konnapoo chutney proved to be not just the perfect addition to the menu but one that they had never eaten before in all of their travels.
To be able to satisfy guests with home cooked meals using local ingredients is one of the greatest joys for a home cook. What could be better than plucking a few sprigs of these pretty golden yellow flowers at the break of day and serving it up for lunch. This kind of proximity to fresh food is a blessing and must never be taken for granted. The taste too then turns out to be far more than just about salt and spices, it’s an entire thought process of feel good vibes that gets translated onto the plate.
After dabbling in a few different konnapoo chutney recipes, this one is our current favourite. My suggestion would be to first serve it to your family, let them try it and then tell them what it’s made up of. Keep an eye on the stunning Konnapoo tree in your area. Just as the season is beginning to wane, relieve the tree of some of it’s load and treat yourselves to this unique recipe.
Ingredients
Method
That sort of led me thinking about the satisfaction people derive when connected with an ingredient growing in and around their own neighbourhood. The harvest idea for this week goes along the same line of thought.
At this time of the year the city looks like it’s in (for want of a better word) ‘alangaram’, thanks to the cascading yellow boughs of the short-term seasonal Cassia fistula tree. It’s also known as golden rain (shower) tree, Indian laburnum or Konnapoo. It’s the most important floral offering during Vishu celebrations and has become increasingly popular for Tamil New Year as well. While we in Coimbatore connect with this tree as being native to the South of India, in Thailand it is in fact their national tree, with the yellow flowers being a symbol of Thai royalty!
It wasn’t until 2 years ago that I became aware of the fact that these flowers were edible. The owners of a farm stay at Sethumadai served us a konnapoo chutney along with breakfast. The chutney was quite delicious and I couldn’t wait to try it out for myself.
For me the excitement of considering this as an edible ingredient was also because I would feel rather sad to see these pretty blossoms wither and fall to the ground.
Another fact with seasonal recipes is that they allowed the body to function to it’s optimum according to the conditions of the weather. Edible flowers digest easily and therefore does not task the digestive system in a manner that would increase the body heat. This is the reason that cooling foods are recommended in the hot summer months. It makes it much easier to get through the day when our dietary intake is conducive to the seasons.
In current times when people talk of gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan etc. one actually realises that so many foods prevalent in the Indian diet can be easily adopted to sustain these food restrictions. Recently we cooked a meal for friends who follow the jain philosophy of not eating root vegetables. The konnapoo chutney proved to be not just the perfect addition to the menu but one that they had never eaten before in all of their travels.
To be able to satisfy guests with home cooked meals using local ingredients is one of the greatest joys for a home cook. What could be better than plucking a few sprigs of these pretty golden yellow flowers at the break of day and serving it up for lunch. This kind of proximity to fresh food is a blessing and must never be taken for granted. The taste too then turns out to be far more than just about salt and spices, it’s an entire thought process of feel good vibes that gets translated onto the plate.
After dabbling in a few different konnapoo chutney recipes, this one is our current favourite. My suggestion would be to first serve it to your family, let them try it and then tell them what it’s made up of. Keep an eye on the stunning Konnapoo tree in your area. Just as the season is beginning to wane, relieve the tree of some of it’s load and treat yourselves to this unique recipe.
Ingredients
- Konnapoo- 3 sprigs of flowers
- Dried red chillies-2 (or) Black peppercorns- 1/2tsp
- Ginger- 1/4inch piece (chopped)
- Tamarind- a big pinch
- Pottu kadalai- 3-4 Tbsp
- Water-1/2 C or more depending on the consistency you require
- Grated coconut- 1 C
- Salt to taste
- Cold pressed Coconut oil- 1-2 Tbsp
- For tempering; curry leaves, mustard seeds and urad dhal
Method
- Clean and separate the petals from the stem and stamens
- Wash gently in a little water. Set aside.
- Heat the oil on a low flame, add the peppercorns or dried red chillies as you prefer and saute’.
- Add the ginger, grated coconut and flower petals and saute’ until the petlas shrivel and turn darker, the coconut releases it’s aroma and the mixture comes together. Add salt to taste.
- Take off the fire and let cool slightly.
- Add it to the mixer jar along with the pottu kadalai, tamarind and water (a little at a time) and grind to a smooth consistency.
- Heat a little coconut oil and temper the mustard seeds, urad dhal and curry leaves.Once it crackles add to the ground chutney, mix in and serve.
- It tastes good with coconut rice or idli, dosai and uthappam.