Forgotten foods

When I’m cleaning out my refrigerator and trying to cook a meal with the last bits and bobs of vegetables available, I often come up with predictable results — a monotone soup (pumpkin) or a basic salad (cucumber, tomato, carrot). Last week, I shut the refrigerator door and stepped outside — to be welcomed by the happy, shiny winged beans (resembling mini aeroplanes) dangling from the vine in my neighbour’s garden. I’d never eaten the vegetable before or seen it in the market. I wasn’t sure how it would taste, or how to cook it.

My helper was around and shared a recipe from her grandmother, who grew up around the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. She went on to list some interesting facts about the winged bean: rich in protein and fibre, and a species that lends itself to root-to-pod uses. The leaves can be cooked too, as can the bean pods and tuberous roots.

It’s common knowledge by now that our country has lost nearly 99% of its biodiversity in vegetables in the past century. But slowly, we’re witnessing the revival of at least some of them. From red bhindi to purple beans, purple yam to black tomatoes, blue corn and brown capsicum, local farms are bringing the magic of these vegetables back. But what’s missing is the knowledge to help us not just with the nutritional profiles of these but methods of cooking and a thorough understanding of how to prep and consume them.

Cookbooks like Samaithu Paar talk about vegetables that no longer exist. Many urbanites are reaching out for varieties of exotic vegetables, trying to cook dishes for celebrations that don’t even exist on our calendars. Not only do these clock serious food miles, but they also mean that some measure of cultural erasure is going to happen, and there’s hardly a thing being done to stop it.

There are so many reasons why we need to consume Indigenous vegetables:

Biodiversity and ecosystem health: Indigenous produce contributes to biodiversity. These crops have evolved over centuries to adapt to ecological niches, making them resilient to pests and diseases. Preserving Indigenous seeds helps maintain genetic diversity, which is essential for the long-term health of our ecosystems. Hybrid or GMO seeds are not climate change-friendly. They are built on the false foundation that climatic conditions will be ideal. It is the genetic biodiversity of heirloom seeds that will stand the test of time.

Nutritional value: Indigenous vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Tubers like purple yam are high in potassium, which is good for balancing blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease. Leafy greens like amaranth and purslane are excellent sources of iron, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids. When compared to hybrid varieties, the flavour and nutrition in these are distinct.

Food security: Indigenous vegetables are well-suited to local conditions, and produced with less resource inputs, making them stronger in the face of environmental stressors. Diversifying agricultural production by growing more underutilised, local species offers opportunities to strengthen the adaptation, mitigation and resilience of both natural and socio-economic systems. Including them in our diets can enhance food security and reduce our vulnerability to global food price fluctuations.

Cultural heritage and identity: Indigenous vegetables are deeply intertwined with our cultural heritage value systems, and play an integral role in festive celebrations and spiritual practices, as well as in forms of folklore and performance artistry. They are often associated with region-specific norms and traditional cooking processes. Preserving these vegetables will help maintain our culinary identity and connect us to our roots. 

How can we do our bit to help preserve Indigenous vegetables and seeds, living in our matchbox-style apartments and houses in urban settings? Here’s a small checklist:

Grow your own: Start a home or balcony garden and grow Indigenous vegetables. This not only provides fresh, healthy food but also helps preserve traditional knowledge and skills.

Join community seed banks: Participate in community seed-saving initiatives to exchange seeds and knowledge. If buying, make sure you buy from trusted local sources.

Support local farmers: Buy from local markets to support local, small-holder farmers, and encourage their cultivation of Indigenous varieties.

Cook traditional recipes: Join local cooking clubs or recipe exchange groups, find and record traditional recipes that feature Indigenous vegetables. By cooking, documenting and sharing these recipes, we can keep our culinary heritage alive.

Advocate for policy changes: Support policies that promote the conservation of Indigenous seeds and natural, sustainable farming practices. Volunteer at local farms to support and help them in their initiatives. We may not be able to check all the boxes or commit to a 365-day Indigenous produce diet. Still, doing even one of these things, having conversations to learn more about what we can do, is a meaningful start: it can promote a deeper sense of understanding and accountability, in all of us.

Winged beans palya
(Serves 2)
Here’s a recipe for a simple winged beans stir fry, slow-cooked in a few splashes of coconut milk, seasoned with a mild green masala for a hint of flavour. Grow them, cook them, and spread the word — or joy — or both!
 8-10 winged beans, chopped fine or thin and long, diagonally
 2 green chillies, slit
 1⁄4 inch piece of ginger, grated
 4-5 tablespoons of coconut milk
 Salt and jaggery powder according to taste
 1 tablespoon fresh grated coconut
For the seasoning 
 2 teaspoons coconut oil
 1⁄4 teaspoon each mustard, jeera and urad dal
 A pinch of asafoetida
 1 sprig of curry leaves
Method
 Cook the beans along with all the ingredients on a low flame.
 Prepare the seasoning and pour over the beans, mix well and serve hot with rotis or rice.

(Ranjini is a communications professor, author, and podcaster, straddling many other worlds, in Bengaluru. She’s passionate about urban farming and sustainable living, and can mostly be found cooking and baking in her little kitchen, where, surrounded by heirloom coffee kettles and mismatched tea cups, she finds her chi.)