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This is a season of red alert in the hills as it’s totally overed with Rhododendron blooms. Also known as Buransh, the flowers bloom from late March to late April. This spring special flower is absolute magnificent to look. If you traveling to the hills during this season, it’s impossible to miss the sight of these lovely red-carpet bloom. These trees grow in the wild in the Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand as well as Sikkim and these flowers have plenty of medicinal properties too. Also this flowers creates livelihood for many in the hills as they make jams, juices and other product out of it.
It’s the season of Rhododendron; the bloody red flowers which grows wildly all around the hills. Neha Sameer got them plucked fresh from nearby trees that is two mins walk from her home. Later she and her staff engaged in the process of churning something really exciting out of these Rhododendron.
Here are some exclusive recipes by Neha Sameer who lives in her lovely home in the hills and at times shuffle her stay at the beach too. So you can choose to drink this beauty or have it as a condiment, whatever you choose rest assured you wont be disappointed.
Buransh Sharbat
Ingredients
• Handful of fresh Buransh petals
• Sugar
• Lemon
• Black salt (if you wish)
• Water
Method
• After plucking flowers, remove the stigma and stem of all flowers. We just need petals for our preparation. Wash the petals thoroughly.
• Take a big vessel, add water and the flowers and cook on slow flame for 30 minutes after it comes to boil.
• After steeping let it cool down for 15 minutes then strain the petals out and collect juice in the vessel.
• Add Sugar and lemon (I have added Khand and pahadi lemon instead both makes the drink even more healthy).
• Cook for 20 minutes on slow flame till the consistency becomes thick like of sharbat/ squash. Turn of the flame and let the liquid cool, store in a air tight glass container.
• Whenever you wish to drink add 2 spoons of the squash, some lemon, black salt and water, your drink is ready.
Buransh Chutney
Ingredients
• Handful of fresh Buransh
• Hemp seeds
• Mint
• Green chilly
• Onion
• Lemon
• Jaggery
• Water
• Garlic cloves (if you wish)
Method
• We will make chutney of the petals, once we remove non petals part, wash them thoroughly. Chutney can be made using old age style on Sil batta or in a regular grinder.
• Firstly, dry roast bhang / Hemp seeds then
• Grind Buransh Petals with Roasted bhang seeds, add one onion, 2 cloves of garlic, few leaves of mint, a green chilly, squeeze a lemon, a small blob of jaggery and add salt as per preference.
• Adjust water according to chutney consistency. Now it’s ready, Buransh chutney will taste delicious with Pakoras, fries or Dal- Chawal combo. It has perfect texture and mouthfeel to fall in love with.
