Exploring science

By now, you might have sipped the blue tea or enjoyed colorful desserts. But have you ever tasted tender Clitoria or butterfly pea pods? They taste similar to pea pods with a slightly sweet flavor.

When plucking the butterfly pea pods, try to pick only the tender ones where the seeds have not developed. I suggest breaking the ends of the pods; you might hear a clicking sound, which confirms their tenderness.

If needed, you may remove the fibrous strings from the pods. Despite the identification of insecticidal properties from the roots and stems of C. ternatea, there are no concerns regarding consuming the pods. However, I do not suggest eating them regularly, except from a research standpoint. As part of our research, our team is evaluating the nutritional properties and taste, while also recording its culinary properties.

We plucked around 500 grams of tender C. ternatea pods and first steamed them. It took longer than French beans to soften the pods, almost 20-25 minutes.

Preparation

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or preferred oil)
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 teaspoon ajwain seeds

For tempering:

• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• One string of curry leaves
• One or two dry chilies
• Salt to taste

To Grind:

• Palm-sized coconut
• One teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or to your taste
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Instructions:

1. Steam the tender pods for 25 minutes, checking occasionally for doneness.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or pan.
3. Add the ajwain seeds and wait until they become fragrant, being careful not to burn them.
4. Immediately add the ingredients mentioned in the tempering section, one after the other, starting with the mustard seeds.
5. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown.
6. Add the steamed tender C. ternatea pods.
7. Stir in the ground ingredients.
8. Season with salt to taste.
9. Enjoy your delicious stir-fried clitoria pods.