An edible garden

Flowers! Beautiful, not only to look at, but also wholesome to eat. Not just as a garnish or sprinkled over the top either -- flowers can be an important part of your next dish. Can you think of anything more fun than eating a flower salad or cooking a flower curry?

Our top tips on flowers in your kitchen
While there are many edible flowers, there are many other flowers or parts of the plant which are inedible or even poisonous. Always exercise extreme caution and seek expert opinion before you decide to load flowers on your plate.
Collect flowers early in the morning. Especially when it is hot outside, the sunshine can cause some flowers to droop and wilt. If morning does not work, late afternoon/early evening is a good time to collect them as well.
For the best flavours, choose flowers that are at their peak. If the flower has already started to brown, choose a different one. For all larger blossoms, especially squash blossoms, inspect the inside of the flower to make sure no bugs are lurking inside. They could add protein, but it also may be a nasty surprise on someone's plate!

Why should you integrate edible flowers into your cooking?
We have chosen just a few of the flowers which are edible, but the list is extensive: edible flowers with a range of health benefits include sunflowers, basil, broccoli, dill, daisies, marigolds, hibiscus, lavender, mint, rosemary and many more.
Here are the ones we chose:

Roses
Physicians in ancient Persia, India and China used the rose medicinally as well, but it was in the Middle East where the rose staunchly took hold as a powerful medicine. With the advent of Islam, the rose became an important part of the mystical tradition in Islam known as Sufism. The great Persian physician Ibn-e-Sina (Avicenna) first recognised the beneficial effects of the rose on the heart and brain in the 11th century. During rose blossom season, the sick were carried to wells where they were immersed in the residues of the rose pulp.
Modern day scientists have found that it has a wide-range of properties as a sleep enhancer, pain reliever, cough suppressant, heart remedy, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial agent, antioxidant, and memory enhancer. The rose also appears to benefit the heart. Rose extract appears to regulate the heart rate and strengthen the cardiac muscle.

Pumpkin flowers
These delicious additions contain vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and collection of B vitamins. They also have a nice supply of food folate, making pregnancy an excellent excuse to eat an abundance of pumpkin flowers. When eating a lot of pumpkin flowers, they also contain iron, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.

Lotus stems
Lotus stem, or 'kamalkakdi', is a common vegetable in Indian cuisine. The vegetable has a mild, slightly sweet flavour and can be eaten raw or cooked. By bringing it into your kitchen, you are also bringing in a rich source of calcium, iron and fibre. Lotus stems also contain important antioxidants, which protect the cells of your body from free radicals, compounds found in environmental toxins that can damage cells.

Banana flowers
Banana, or plantain, is a large, herbaceous plant native to India and Southeast Asia. Purple buds appear from the heart of the tip of the stem and develop into tubular, white flowers. Along with dietary fibres, proteins and unsaturated fatty acids, banana flowers are also rich in vitamins A, C, E and flavonoids. Banana flower is known to help increase progesterone hormone which reduces bleeding during menstruation. Thus, for people suffering from painful menstruation and excess bleeding, having cooked banana flower with curd or buttermilk is beneficial.

History of edible flowers
To be sprinkled on guests at a wedding, being added in a kachchi biriyani for that extra Mughlai flavour or simply added into desserts, rose water plays an integral part of Bangladeshi customs. History says it was actually introduced to India in about 1000 AD by the Arabs.
Another edible flower, saffron, also has a history woven into ancient eras. Historical evidence dating back to the 10th century BC from ancient Persia have revealed carpets and funeral shrouds with saffron remnants and Mesopotamian relics have been known to reveal saffron. Buddhists have been wearing saffron robes for centuries.
Lotus, the national flower of both India and Egypt, has been consumed in cuisines and banana flowers, also called the banana heart, is a key kitchen ingredient in many salads, curries and vegetable stews throughout Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

Edible flowers in your kitchen Mughlai rose lassi
Mix one cup of plain yoghurt, a tablespoon of honey or brown sugar, ice cubes and ½ teaspoon rose water in a blender. Sprinkle rose petals on top and serve with a Mughlai flourish in a bronze goblet!

Bangladeshi pumpkin flowers stuffed with minced beef or Dhaka paneer
The pumpkin flowers need to be stuffed then baked in a batter. Take one egg and some tempura flour for the batter. Add some cumin and a pinch of rock salt for some flavouring on the top. Take about 6-7 flowers and after washing them, stuff them gently with either one of the stuffings, leaving the flower about 1/3 empty.
Dip each flower into the egg, coating it well, then dip into the flour and set them alongside on a baking tray, lightly greased with olive oil. Pre-heat oven at 180⁰celcius for 10 minutes then bake the flowers at a reduced 120⁰ Celsius for about 10 minutes or till the covering looks cooked and slightly browned. Polish off this healthy rendition of edible flowers with a sweet tamarind sauce.
 

Option 1: Minced beef
Dice two tomatoes, one red onion, one spring onion and chopped green chillies to your taste. Sauté the red onion for 1 minute in olive oil before adding crushed garlic to your taste and after another minute add crushed ginger to your taste and cook for another minute making it a total of three minutes. Add 200 grams of minced beef and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes before adding the tomatoes, salt and a pinch of powered cumin, cooking for another 2 minutes.
Add the spring onion, a small handful of coriander and some mango conserve (aamshotto) and mix everything together.

Option 2: Dhaka paneer
Sauté 5–6 cloves of diced garlic for 1 minute in olive oil or till they are transparent then add 200g of paneer, two roasted and diced tomatoes and cook for up to two minutes. Add one roasted and diced capsicum and cook another minute. Add a pinch of rosemary and salt to taste, and cook another 30 seconds. Then add a pinch of basil for about 15 seconds before taking pan off the fire. Add one tablespoon of mint leaves and mix well.

Classic Korean lotus stems in soy sauce (Yeon-gn Jorim)
Take 400g of lotus stems and wash them followed by scrubbing of any remaining dirt with a cloth and a second wash. Peel the skin off and cut the stems up in round discs. Boil the discs in 6-7 tablespoons of water and 3-4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar for about 20 minutes leaving the stems soft, then rinse them under cold water again.  
To make the sauce that these discs should simmer in, prepare about 3-4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 big garlic diced, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds, 2 teaspoons of sesame seed oil, and a pinch of corn starch (we prefer carrots or a starchy vegetable like potatoes boiled till it is a conserve and use it to add thickness to any food instead of corn starch).
Let the boiled stem discs simmer in the soy sauce, garlic and sugar with a hint of white wine vinegar for about 7-8 minutes before adding the sesame oil, sesame seeds and corn starch to thicken. Once the lotus stem discs are thickened, take them off the fire and serve them with stir fired veggies in some sesame oil and a lemon drizzle or simply serve with a roast meat dish.

Thai banana flower salad
This is a wonderful Thai recipe which combines the rich and creamy texture of banana flowers with crunchy cashew nuts and the heat of roasted chilli.
Bring 500ml of water to the boil. Add 100g sliced chicken, reduce the heat to a simmer and poach for 5 minutes. Add 200g green king prawns (or similar) and continue poaching for 3 minutes, until cooked through. Drain and set aside.
Pour 2 tablespoons lime juice and 500ml of water into a bowl. Cut a banana flower (approx. 200g) in half and remove the soft, pale heart from each half, discarding the outer leaves. Finely slice on the diagonal and add to the bowl.
Soak for 5 minutes; the lime will prevent discolouration. Make a dressing by combining 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, 1 tablespoon grated palm sugar, 1 tablespoon roasted chilli paste, 2 teaspoon Thai roasted chilli powder and 3 tablespoon coconut milk in a large bowl, stirring until the palm sugar dissolves.  
Drain the banana flower, gently squeeze out the excess water, and add to the dressing along with the poached chicken and prawns. Mix well.
Serve sprinkled with1 tablespoon sliced fried shallots, 2 tablespoon cashews (roasted and crushed), 1 long red chilli (finely sliced) and a handful of coriander leaves.