VALUE IN THE WEED

BATHUA IS IN DEMAND FOR ITS NUTRITION AND TASTE. IMPROVED VARIETIES OF THE WEED CAN MAKE IT POPULAR AMONG FARMERS

- VIBHA VARSHNEY

COME WINTERS, and vegetable markets in Delhi are flooded with varieties of leafy greens. Among these vegetables is one hitherto unwanted weed, foraged from wheat fields. Commonly known as bathua in Hindi, cheel bhaji in Gujarati, paruppu keerai in Tamil, chandanbethu in Bengali and vastuccira in Malayalam, this weed is 15-20 cm tall and has broad, lobed leaves, resembling a goose's foot. Because of the shape of the leaves, the plant is also called white goosefoot or Chenopodium album in scientific lexicon—Greek words chen means goose and podion means foot.

Its fresh leaves, which taste a bit salty, are used for making various traditional dishes. Piping hot bathua stuffed parathas and soothing bathua raita are some of the popular dishes consumed in most parts of North India (see recipes). Bathua is known for its rich fibre content and medicinal properties. In Ayurveda, it is prescribed for conditions such as cough, diarrhoea, fever and poor appetite. A 2014 study published in the Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry shows that the methanol extract of the plant has antibacterial properties and can inhibit growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Some people even dry the leaves and store them to add to their diet throughout the year. Modern chefs are now also using bathua in salads and Italian raviolis.

Bathua is one of the 21 species of Chenopodium found in India. Its country of origin has not been identified as yet, but it is closely related to quinoa which grows in Peru and Bolivia.