A SEED SPROUTS WINGS

The seeds of Indian elm are nutritious and have multiple uses in traditional medicine

- VIBHA VARSHNEY

IT IS difficult to miss the otherwise nondescript Indian elm around April, when its paper-thin winged seeds start floating down from the denuded branches. The tree, also known as jungle cork tree or Holoptelea integrifolia in scientific lexicon, is native to the country, and is referred to as chilbil, papri, kanju and several other names in local languages. In Delhi, where the tree dots roadsides and parks, its seeds are often swept unceremoniously to the sides. And I would not have noticed them, had a colleague not brought a bagful of dried chilbil seeds for me.

These are nutritious and have snack for served as a ready-to-eat children for ages, the colleague said to me, adding that the seeds are also called bandar ki roti or bread for monkeys.

A little research into the seeds, however, revealed that the beautiful winged seeds (or samaras) are more than just a snack for children. When green, they can be consumed raw, mixed with salads, or can be cooked along with other vegetables. When dried, the seeds are used as a dry fruit after removal of the wings. These can be used to prepare kheer (see recipe). Several ethnobotanical surveys suggest that the seeds are consumed by tribal communities, particularly those in Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra district, Bihar's Gaya district and in Himalayan Terai region.