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Blue Pea ( 蝴碟豆 )

Scientific Name: Clitoria Ternatea

 

This plant is a profuse grower. Invasive too. Roots easily as well, from seeds. It also serves to increase the nitrogen level of the soil.

 

Used during nonya cake making, as in Kueh Salat (Pls see www.flickr.com/photos/lynnintokyo/7765964942/)

 

From PL Tandon (www.flickr.com/photos/13070711@N03/7656190646/) comes this description:

Clitoria ternatea, commonly known as butterfly-pea, blue-pea, and cordofan-pea, is a plant species belonging to the Fabaceae family.

 

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, it has been used for centuries as a memory enhancer, nootropic, antistress, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant, tranquilizing and sedative agent.

 

In Southeast Asia the flowers are used to colour food. It provides the blue found in nonya bak chang. In Malay cooking, an aqueous extract is used to colour glutinous rice for kuih ketan. In Thailand, a syrupy blue drink is made called nam dok anchan. In Burma the flowers are used as food, often they are dipped in batter and fried.

 

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Uploaded on December 4, 2012
Taken on June 4, 2011