Rose sharbat, marigold oil, lotus stem chips (kamal kadki or bhee kachri) and saffron-tinted sweets may be a mainstay for most. But how about a hibiscus martini or chamomile-spiked sugar?
While you may be no stranger to cooking with Indian flowers — onion, drumstick and banana — foreign imports like zucchini, nasturtiums and calendulas might prove otherwise. Read our edible flower guide to update your blossom vocabulary.
The flower guide
International calendulas or pot marigold
These beautifully bright flowers taste similar to saffron, and are good in pasta and rice dishes. Bright yellow calendulas are an economical alternative to expensive saffron, although not quite as pungent. Rs 2 to Rs 5 per piece
Nasturtium
These yellow and orange petals pack a wonderfully peppery flavour similar to watercress. Their pickled buds can be substituted for expensive capers. Rs 60 per packet
Violets
Sweet and aromatic. Best used in young flower salad, for stuffing in poultry or fish, candied or in sorbets.
Zucchini flowers
Popularly known as squash blossoms, these delicate buds are best picked when slightly open. We love them stuffed with ricotta or fried in a bhajiya-form, just like grandma made. Rs 20 per piece.
Lavender
Sweet and herbal, the buds, which contain essential oils, are used to infuse flavours in macaroons, mousses, biscuits, scones, shortbread and sugar. Rs 500 a kilo.
Indian onion flower
This pungent weedesque flower is used to make pakodas, Sindhi curry and dosas. Try something nouveau. Journalist Lalitha Iyer made a salad for her "try one new thing a day" food project by mixingchopped onion flowers with baby potatoes, radish and a mustard lemon dressing.
Roses
Sweet and fragrant. As a gulk and consuming nation, we are no strangers to rose petals (and water) used to make syrups, jellies, teas and even macaroons.
Pumpkin flower
The bright yellow flower tastes mildly of raw squash. The Chinese fry it. We use it in sabzis like Tamil poriyal (palya in Kannada and porutu in Telugu), made with urad dal, beans and cabbage.
Drumstick flowers
They are small, white and taste like mushrooms when cooked. It is used to make veg dishes, chutneys and dosa batter. Adai (a savoury pancake made with brown rice and drumstick leaves), anyone?
Banana flowers
Or kele ke phool are purple blossoms that are eaten raw, in South Indian usli (a chana dal and grated coconut vegetable), adai, and sometimes stuffed like koftas.
10 Frilly flower DIY ideas
Lavender olive oil
For some drama-in-bottle, start by adding a fistful of dried lavender flowers and slightly bruised mint leaves in an old jam jar. Add good grade olive oil to it and let it infuse for a week. After which, strain and transfer to a bottle. For a final flourish, add one fresh lavender stalk. This wondrous oil can be used as a post-bath body oil, to dress salads or eaten plain with bread and balsamic vinegar.
Marigold vinegar
Take two cups of pressed (dried in sun for five hours) pot marigold petals, add one teaspoon sea salt and sugar each, and finish by adding white wine vinegar. Seal and let it steep for a fortnight, in the shade. Once done — it usually stays for six months — use liberally in salads and dressings (think marigold vinaigrette) for an instant kick of sunkissed flavours.
Nasturtium salad
Sprinkle this jewel-bright bright edible flower in your micro greens salad for a splash of colour-cum-taste. But if you want to keep things simple; use large quantities of iceberg or butterhead lettuce and a small portion of red radicchio, for bitter balance. Dress this veritable garden with a basic lemon dressing.
Cheese bruschetta with edible blooms
Need to beat the winter blues? Handmix half a container of plain cream cheese with chopped chives and spread generously on grilled bread. Garnish with mixed dried flowers and cracked pepper, for a flowery bruschetta breaky. Perfect with a cup of green tea.
Flower pesto
This one is best tried with only one of two flowers: nasturtium or zucchini blossoms (a.k.a. squash). If you've perfected a pesto recipe, stick to it and only replace half the basil with one of the above. If you're clueless, roast a handful of nuts in a pan. Let them cool and blitz with basil and nasturtium/ zucchini, cheese, salt and pepper. Add olive oil as you blitz. Use to sauce your pasta or as a dip.
Rose iced tea
Up until a decade ago, Rooh Afza was a part of everyone's summer dictionary. After which, powdered lemon and peach iced teas flooded the market. We say, revive the flavour by adding the above rubyred syrup or rose water to cooled tea, brewed with a few cardamom pods. Pour into a tall glass, dotted with ice, mint and swizzle stick.
Lavender-spiked sparkling wine/hibiscus martini
Who says you can't have your flower and drink it too? Our two favourite floral alcoholic cocktails include lavender-spiked sparkling wine (it's best to avoid Champagne) and hibiscus (vodka) martini. In the former, use dried purple petals and in the latter, hibiscus extract or syrup... Slurp up.
Flower-flavoured honey
A couple of years ago, single varietal flower honey was moving off racks faster than you could say, bee. And while there are numerous brands currently available, we suggest you DIY at home by getting your hands on one pot of golden goodness. Next, either steep your favourite flavour of flower or just a spoonful of orange blossom water and that's that.
Crystallised flowers
One of the most popular uses of edible flowers is in candied or crystallised flowers, used to decorate cakes and fine candies. Think flower cupcakes and chamomile-spiked sugar jars. Don't know how? Stir together one egg white and one teaspoon of water. Gently brush the above mixture onto the petals (violas or rose), coating both sides. Use a bowl to toss the petals with sugar and transfer to a cooling rack, allow the petals to rest overnight.
Floral ice & Popsicles
Freeze whole small flowers into ice rings or cubes for a pretty addition to punches and other beverages. Throwing a kiddie party and aren't a fan of OTT sweets? Whip up a batch of flower lollies that look almost as good as they taste. Just because it's dessert, it doesn't need to give you cavities. You are better off using mixed dried flowers and cordials like elder flower.
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