Have you heard of the Vegetable Hummingbird, an edible flower called so because its shape resembles the beak of little hummingbirds? These flowers – called Dok Khae in Thai, Agathi Poo in Tamil, and Bokful in Bengali – possess several health benefits. They are quite commonly used in Thai, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Lao, Maldivian, Sri Lankan and, to an extent, Indian cuisine as well.
The Tamilians make a lip-smackingly delicious stir-fry with these flowers, called Agathi Poo Poriyal. With grated coconut, onions or beans, and a bit of sugar added in, the poriyal makes for an awesome accompaniment to piping hot rasam or sambar rice.
Read all about this wondrous flower, and find the recipe for the stir-fry, just in on my photo blog!
The Girl Next Door 