Goodness of Nature

Bitter Gourd

Most of us at one time in our life would have hated Bitter Gourd and some of us during the…

Pigeon Pea

In South Indian kitchens you are sure to find Pigeon pea cooked almost every day. It is the staple diet…

Cuban Oregano – Doddapatre – Patharchur

I remember as a child when allergic rash would erupt on the skin, I would crush Cuban Oregano leaves and…

Pepper

Pepper plant belongs to Piperaceae family and the botanical name is Piper nigrum. It is a native of South India.…

Sorghum – Jower – Jola

Sorghum is known as Jower in India and belongs to Poaceae (grass) family. It is a native of Australia, Africa,…

Coconut

Having been bought up in a region surrounded by Coconut palm trees, I cannot imagine a day not seeing the…

Cardamom – Elaichi – Yelakki

Cardamom is known as Queen of spices and it is a native of India. It is known as Elaichi in…

Aloe Vera Plant

Aloe Vera known as Lole sara in Kannada was known to us even before it came to the forefront in…

Mangosteen

Not many of us had heard the existence of Mangosteen fruit, which is a native of South East Asia. Highest…

Brinjal – Eggplant – Aubergine

Brinjal - Eggplant - Aubergine are the most popular name of this vegetable.  Eggplant is also known as Aubergine in…

Rice – Paddy – Chawal

Beautiful green blades of paddy swishing to the music of the wind and Egrets dotting the field to feed on…

Teak tree

Teak tree is the most precious deciduous tree in India and as you traverse into Western Ghats, you come across…

Star Gooseberry Tree – Kiru Nellikayi – Malay gooseberry

Star Gooseberry is known as Kiru Nellikayi in Kannada and was my favourite during school.  I would buy them from…

Stone Flower

Stone Flower is a Lichen and belongs to Parmeliaceae family. In Kannada it is known as Kallu Hoovu, Hindi it…

Tea

Chai as it is known in India is a favorite beverage across the country. If you ever travel in India…

Mint

Mint is known as Pudina in India and is prominently used in Indian cuisines. Botanical name is Mentha longifolia and…

Mustard

In Indian cuisine, the first spice that is added while preparing a dish to heated Oil is the Mustard Seeds.…

Custard Apple

Custard Apple is also known as Sugar Apple and Sharifa in Hindi. In most of the other Indian languages it…

Pomelo

Also known as Shaddock, Jabong, Grape Fruit, Chakkotha in Kannada, and Madhukarkati in Sanskrit, Pomelo  is the largest citrus fruit…

Carambola – Star Fruit

Carambola is a fruit native to Indian Sub-continent and South East Asia. This fruit bearing tropical tree is now grown…