Hi friends!
I wanna share this plant i just found out about here in the Philippines we call it katuray its real name is Sesbania grandiflora and abroad they call it vegetable hummingbird or West Indian pea. When someone told me you can actually eat these flowers i was like NO WAY! I mean look at them all pretty and hanging in bunches shaped like little bells.
You had totally think they are just for making gardens look nice right? Who would guess they belong on our plates?! It all started when my cousin made some food with katuray i stared at it and went “Wait flowers are edible?!” I always thought they were just decoration!
But then i took a bite and oh my gosh I literally said out loud “This is soo good!” I never would have guessed a flower could taste that great. So yes katuray is a tree. And it grows SUPER fast here in the Philippines you will see it everywhere.
From backyards up north in Luzon to down south in Mindanao. It pops up along roadsides too even in small gardens in the city. You don’t have to be some expert gardener to grow it either just stick it in the ground, water it sometimes.
And that’s pretty much it! The tree can get as tall as 10 meters with leaves that look all feathery and light perfect for shading you when it’s crazy hot outside. There is white ones and red/pink ones too but we mostly eat the white ones here.
The colored ones are a bit bitter so people usually just plant them for looks or use them for old school medicine stuff. Okay so how does it taste? It’s really mild and delicate kinda sweet with hints of green beans and asparagus.
When you cook it just right it’s tender but still has a little crunch to it. My cousin makes it super simple sometimes they just steam the whole flowers and sprinkle a little salt and calamansi on top. Other times they throw it in a pan with garlic.
Onions and a bit of bagoong. It’s also awesome in soups like sinigang or nilaga soaks up all that yummy broth flavor but still keeps its own thing going. Some families even cook the young pods and leaves too but let’s be real the flowers are the best part!
And get this it’s actually good for you! Loads of vitamins A and C, plus iron calcium and protein and it’s not heavy on calories either. My grandma says back in the day they used katuray to help with coughs fevers and tummy issues. Farmers love it too because it makes soil better roots add nutrients so other plants grow stronger meaning less chemical fertilizers. It’s so easy to grow! Start from seeds or cuttings and in months you will have your own flowers to eat. Next time you see those pretty blooms don’t just look, give them a try!