By Devi Poojari
July 13, 2023
A lack of accessibility or knowledge of the existence of these mostly uncultivated greens, our plates miss out on the experience of enjoying a wider number of leafy greens that are exclusive to the season. Here is a curated list of hyperlocal monsoon greens you need to know about.
The edible green, also known as safed mulsi, usually makes an appearance in vegetable markets during the onset of the monsoon season in Maharashtra.
An uncultivated wild vegetable that grows in the forests and hilly regions of Maharashtra, the shevla is a wild yam that resembles a thin stem-like vegetable.
Takla, aka cassia tora, is a leafy monsoon green that grows around parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra during the months of July-August.
Water spinach or kolmi shak is a tropical plant with tender shoots, typically used in stir fries and vastly in Bengali cooking.
Typically spotted in the Konkan region around the month of August, during the time of narali poornima, the morond is a tender green sprout that grows out of a coconut, with a bulb housed inside the shell.
The fan-like Colocasia leaves or alu, best known for its use in the Gujrati patra, are dark green, wild greens that can also be used to make stir fries and sabzis with.
Also known as ghodka or ghaduli, the bibayo is a germinated cashew cotyledon mostly found in Goa where it is added to curries and stews to give them a nutty flavour and bite.
Also known as sorrel leaves or gongurra, the ambadi bhaji grows in subtropical regions of India and is found vastly in the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.