Down To Earth travels to the desert state of Rajasthan to find out about the traditional food habits of the people in one of the driest regions of the country. We discovered that so many things grow in the wild and traditional knowledge of these will ensure that you have plenty to eat in the harsh desert environment. But is this traditional knowledge losing its ground slowly?. Down to Earth is Science and Environment fortnightly published by the Society for Environmental Communication, New Delhi...
The beautiful and healthy lotus stems—you can find these stems being sold by roadside vendors, especially along roads that run by a river or a pond. The light brown or white, sausage-like tubular vegetable has holes in it. These are lotus stems and they are used widely in Indian, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. They are relished for their taste and nutritional value. Known in Hindi as bhe or kamal kakri, the lotus stem contains hollow air channels that run the length of the stem. It is crunchy, sweet and tastes like water chestnut. It has a delicate flavour and is suitable for eating raw or cooked...