The world is more edible than you think it is.
Here's three edible plants that you probably already have growing in your garden, or near your house.
Nasturtium
Regarded by many gardeners as a weed (but not by me). Creeps along the ground in a vine like way, with round leaves on long stalks, and orange, red or yellow flowers. The leaves and flowers lend a nice peppery taste to salads as well as colour. I'm told you can eat the seed pods too, but they aren't in season yet. Younger leaves are tastier.
Kawakawa
A native bush which has all kinds of uses in traditional Maori medicine. The leaves are very peppery and slightly bitter taste. They make great tea - you can use them fresh or dry them, by themselves or added to black, ginger, or other herbal teas. They can also go in salads, finely chopped. The fruit - which in these pictures look like small green candlesticks - can be eaten when they turn yellow to red in late summer. They have an unusual sweet flavour which has to be experienced to be known. I'm told if you steep the leaves in water overnight, the resulting beverage will get you high, but am yet to experiment.
Parsley
You're probably familiar with parsley already but did you know it grows wild all over Wellington? Both curly and flat leaf kinds can be found. The best way to identify the plant if you are foraging is to crush a few leaves and smell them, as parsley has a distinct odour. Parsey likes to grow in Wellington so much that it can be used as a vegetable rather than a herb. Try making a tabbouleh with copious quantities of parsley, a little mint, soaked couscous or bulgur wheat, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
Below, clockwise from top left: Kawakawa leaf, nasturtium leaf, nasturtium flower, two varieties of parsley.
Here's three edible plants that you probably already have growing in your garden, or near your house.
Nasturtium
Regarded by many gardeners as a weed (but not by me). Creeps along the ground in a vine like way, with round leaves on long stalks, and orange, red or yellow flowers. The leaves and flowers lend a nice peppery taste to salads as well as colour. I'm told you can eat the seed pods too, but they aren't in season yet. Younger leaves are tastier.
Kawakawa
A native bush which has all kinds of uses in traditional Maori medicine. The leaves are very peppery and slightly bitter taste. They make great tea - you can use them fresh or dry them, by themselves or added to black, ginger, or other herbal teas. They can also go in salads, finely chopped. The fruit - which in these pictures look like small green candlesticks - can be eaten when they turn yellow to red in late summer. They have an unusual sweet flavour which has to be experienced to be known. I'm told if you steep the leaves in water overnight, the resulting beverage will get you high, but am yet to experiment.
Parsley
You're probably familiar with parsley already but did you know it grows wild all over Wellington? Both curly and flat leaf kinds can be found. The best way to identify the plant if you are foraging is to crush a few leaves and smell them, as parsley has a distinct odour. Parsey likes to grow in Wellington so much that it can be used as a vegetable rather than a herb. Try making a tabbouleh with copious quantities of parsley, a little mint, soaked couscous or bulgur wheat, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.
Below, clockwise from top left: Kawakawa leaf, nasturtium leaf, nasturtium flower, two varieties of parsley.
