Though it is present everywhere, people tend to miss the superfood kulfa
LAST SUMMER, I found a kulfa plant growing profusely at the base of a wall near my house. Since it was not likely to escape the mali’s (gardener) weeding hands much longer, I pulled it out and carried it home to cook. When I took out the plant from the paper bag, I found hundreds of rattling seeds that I planted in my garden. Now I have a profusion of plump kulfa available at home to enjoy.
Kulfa (Portulaca oleracea) is native to India and has been a part of Asian and Mediterranean diets for a long time. Mahatma Gandhi is known to have favoured it in his raw food diet. Known by various names— luni bhaji in Uttar Pradesh, nonia in Madhya Pradesh and nunar in Kashmir—this succulent herb with its mildly sour leaves is cultivated and consumed widely across the country. In Greek and Turkish cuisines, it is commonly used in sALAds and is an important ingredient in fattoush, the colourful sALAd popular all over the Middle East.
Medicinal bounty
この記事は Down To Earth の August 1, 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Down To Earth の August 1, 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
PLAN THEM COOL
As urban India turns into a heat trap, the government must focus on improving cities' liveability
LOOK BEYOND DUST
Reinvent National Clean Air Programme to focus on fine particulate matter and trans-boundary pollution
Vision 2030
Economic growth must take into account needs of energy transition, climate mitigation, with action aligned as per India's 2030 climate goals
FIX OUR FOOD
Chemical-dependent farming, lax labelling laws, rising anti-microbial resistance must top the agenda
BATTLE THE CAR BULGE
Clean, affordable, integrated and accessible public transport the only solution
CONSERVE NOW
Disregard for biodiversity conservation over the past two decades needs immediate redressal
SCRAP THE DUMP
Disincentivise garbage dumping, invest in behavioural change
THINK LONG-TERM
India needs continued emphasis on flagship programmes, aligned to long-term planning that focusses on water security and circular economy in a climate-risked era
OVERHAUL OVERDUE
Hold polluting industries accountable for public health risks, environmental hazards, climate change; provide them support for green transition
IT'S NOW OR NEVER
Clean energy sectors need demand-driven markets and domestic industries that can cater to the entire value chain