Chandrashur/Common Cress

Have you ever wondered why fancy restaurants serve their dishes with some raw greens on the side? Ayurveda tells us that the common cress served alongside the main food is not just decorative but is healthy and serves as an appetizer.

- Minati Shah

According to Astanga Sangraha, uncooked leaves and flowers are prepared chiefly as adjuvants to staple food to increase appetite and are to be consumed in small quantities only.

Specifically, the common cress or garden cress, also known as Lepidium sativum or "Aahleeva" in Sanskrit or Chandrashur locally, grows near water fronts.