Edible dishes and desserts, Chefs are overlooking plebeian herbs and cheese garnishes to give you a value for your buck. When a dessert dressed with boring chocolate, sliver of cheese or mint sprig shows up on your dinner table, do you put it aside out of monotony? To give diners a transformation and spark up a dish, chefs are putting a lot of emphasis on their ingredients and garnishes. This is why edible flowers are being used as interesting elements in cuisines.
Ayurvedic Practitioner and Joint MD of the Kairali Ayurvedic Group Gita Ramesh suggests the following recipe.
Drumstick Flowers
These flowers are small round creamy white flowers, in cluster and they grow throughout the year. They are edible and it has a lot of nutritional value, it is used in Ayurvedic traditional medicine in great deal. It prevents frequent infection of the throat,chest,and skin. They are the richest source of vitamin A,C,B complex and also has fine source of minerals like calcium, iron, copper, manganese and zinc.
Recipe:
- Drumstick flowers – 2 cups
- Green chillies chopped – 1 cup
- Coconut grated – 2 tbsp
- Lentil (Urad dal) – 1 tsp
- Red dry chilli – 1
- Mustard – 1 tsp
- Curry Leaves – a few leaves
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Salt – as required
- Turmeric powder – 1/4tsp
Directions:
Take a pan and put in the flowers with, turmeric powder, salt, and chillies and mix them well and keep it aside. Now take a pan pour oil and heat. Put the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Break the dry red chilli into two remove the seeds and put into the pan. Allow the chilli to roast a bit and then put in the lentil and curry leaves and stir. Add the mixed flowers, stir well close with a lid and allow to cook for 5 mins. Remove the lid and add the grated coconut mix will for a minute. The dish is ready to serve.
Chef Ashis Rout from Courtyard By Marriott, Gurgaon gives us a rich recipe with the use of flowers besides gives us inputs on edible flowers.
Banana & Rose Petal Ice Cream
Recipe:
- Heavy Cream 700ml
- Milk 600ml
- Sugar 150gm
- Gulkand 50gm
- Ice cream stabilizer 50gm
- Caramelized banana puree 300gm
- Rose water 20ml
Directions:
- Mix milk ,cream, sugar & gulkand than boil in a heavy bottom pan.
- Give rest the mixture 1 hour and slowly mix with ice cream stabilizer.
- When will mix cool add caramelized banana puree.
- Pour in gelato machine and blend it for half an hour.
Chef Ashis Rout says, “Edible flowers are the most interesting aspect & mainly used for garnishing Edible flowers look beautiful, it actually adds freshness & a wonderful look to the food.
“Edible flowers like Bean blossoms have a sweet, beany flavor.
“Nasturtiums: have a wonderfully peppery flavor similar to watercress and they’re pickled buds can be substituted for more expensive capers.
“Borage tastes like cucumber; Violets, roses and lavender -lend a sweet flavor to salads or desserts.
“Calendulas – Bright yellow in color are an economic alternative to expensive saffron, though not quite as pungent. Other flowers may have a spicy or peppermint flavor.”
Edible flowers tips:
Edible flowers as a garnish make any dish look special on your table, but be sure the flavor of the flower compliments the dish. Here are a few ideas to beautify your recipes and perk up your taste buds:
• Place a colorful gladiolus or hibiscus flower (remove the stamen and pistil) in a clear glass bowl and fill with your favorite dip.
• Sprinkle edible flowers in your green salads for a splash of color and taste.
• Freeze whole small flowers into ice rings or cubes for a pretty addition to punches and other Beverages.
• Use in flavored oils, vinaigrettes, jellies, and marinades
Use it for cake decorations.
• Asthmatics or others who suffer allergic reactions to composite-type flowers (calendula, chicory, chrysanthemum, daisy, English daisy, and marigold) should be on alert for possible allergic reaction.
