Sunday, December 28, 2008

"SOHPHLANG".........


This is a bowl of Flemingia vestita or "sohphlang" as its known in the local language here......i know both names are mouthful and so is this small plant with edible roots or tuber like fruit. Some call it a fruit and yet some a tuber...but what ever name you give it, scientifically i came to know only recently it is called Flemingia vestita. I beleive its grown underground and after it is pealed, cleaned and washed they look white. This is eaten raw either with salt and some red chillie powder for those who love to feel hot....lol.....or else its taken with a local chutney paste called "Nei". On its own it doesn't have any distictive taste and its usually found just before the onset of winters. Nutritionally rich...i love to have it with Nei and feel its crunchiness as my canines tear into it and my molars grind it.oooppppsss!!!!! no dental talks please !!!!

19 comments:

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Those look like potatoes to me, but most people here eat them cooked. Are they potatoes?

Happy New Year!
Sue

nituscorner said...

@sue
no sue they are not potatoes. they are a tuber group but its eaten raw.
and yes i will post something about my school in the coming months when we celebrate our centinary.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I just Googled it and found out it's not, as you have replied. :o) I saw a photo of women selling it in a market. It looked like they were already peeled.

NAVAL LANGA said...

To Dr. Nitu Panday

I read this article just before I am to go for my dinner. believe me it has activated my taste buds. Thank you.

[about you comment on my blog/ short story]

You have rightly observed about the freedom. the freedom of self is cheap at any cost.

Naval Langa
http://humorhumour.blogspot.com/

R. Ramesh said...

ya they look very much like potatoes..and ya..no dental talks pl...lol

Tan said...

ধন্যবাদ...লেখাটা ভাল লেগেছে জেনে ভাল লাগলো।আমার নাম তন্ময়।সংক্ষেপে তন... ইংরেজিতে Tan (ট্যান)
জানুয়ারি ১ তারিখ থেকে একটা নতুন ব্লগ সুরু করছি। ভাল লাগলে জানাবেন....
নুতন ব্লগের ঠিকানা www.tanbangla.blogspot.com

nituscorner said...

@tan
dhanabad.nischoy dekbo kinto ekti request. amai tumi kore bolo.

Priyanka Khot said...

are these singhadas...??? when raw they have a green coating.. that would stick between the nails when trying to peel it.???

Dr. Neha Srivastav said...

looks yummy!!

Tan said...

Hey .... thats fine ... send me your email ID .. its cumbersome to send messages here ....

nituscorner said...

@priyanka khot
no priyanka its not green. they look brown and you really have to clean it up properly before you eat it. so when they come to the market its already cleaned and washed. and those singhadas i know but they are not the same thing though look wise after you peal it does resemble and may be even the taste somewhat only here there is less water content i think.

Aviral said...

I hate singhadas and potatoes, but this looks tasty!

magiceye said...

never seen them before...
loved how your teeth tore into them! vicious!! :)

Er. Snigddha Aggarwal said...

must be yummy

Rhizowen said...

Dear Nitu

Do you know of anyone who can supply seeds of sophlang? I am growing a wide range of unusual tuber crops in the UK. I've been looking for seeds of sophlang for 15 years and still haven't found any.

Vilasini Kumar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vilasini Kumar said...

Hi Nitu,

I happened to see your post on Sohphlang and loved it! Though it was written 8 years ago, it still reads so current! Like it is happening now.

What brought me to your site? Quest for unique produce of Northeast India helped me spot sohphlang and here are two posts on it on our website. http://www.zizira.com/sohphlang-unique-tuber-meghalaya/ and http://www.zizira.com/healthy-vegetable-of-northeast-india-now-a-cash-crop/

It would be wonderful to have you share your thoughts on Sohphlang and on the very idea of Zizira! Please get in touch!
Vilasini

nituscorner said...

@ VIlasini

Hi and thanks for visiting my blog. Yes this post was written quite a while back and I should say it is one of the most popular ones and also as i have already mentioned a favorite of mine too.

Vilasini Kumar said...

Hi again Nitu,

thanks for connecting back. How do I reach you? Wanted to do a feature on you on our website www.zizira.com where you can share your thoughts about unique produce of Northeast India. Looking forward to hearing from you!

Vilasini
kumar.vilasini@gmail.com