Nakima

Fleeting blooms of the hills, these flowers are eagerly awaited each year.
VEGETABLE
Flower
PICKLING
STIR-FRYING
blanching
FERMENTING
STEAMING
Photo via wikimedia commons

Nakima (Tupistra nutans), one of the favourites of the people of Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalaya, has a characteristic bitter taste and a sweet aftertaste. Nakima is an edible flower that is foraged from the wild. With increased popularity and demand, it is now also cultivated.

–Eheeta Gurung, Sikkim

This quote has been excerpted from the book ‘Farmed, Foraged, Fermented: Celebrating food cultures of the mountains’, edited by Roshan Rai and Priyadarshinee Shrestha

What is it?

Nakima is a flower-vegetable, belonging to the Asparagaceae family. The flowers form in clusters and are club-shaped in inflorescence. They grow in shades of green and purple, resembling asparagus shoots. Nakima has a bitter taste that can be reduced by blanching the flowers before cooking. Cooked Nakima has a mushy texture.

 

What other names does it have?

Botanical Name: Tupistra clarkei (Hook.f.)

Regional Names: Nakima (Sikkim)

When is it in season?

SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER

Where is it found?

Nakima is found in the Eastern Himalayan region, specifically in Sikkim, the hills of Kalimpong and Darjeeling in West Bengal, and parts of Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and Nepal. It can be found in home gardens, but also grows on forest slopes. It thrives in a cool, temperate climate and requires moist but well-drained loamy soil. Nakima prefers ample shade, which evergreen woods are able to provide. Source.

What is its history/cultural significance?

Historically, Nakima was considered to be the food of the poor and the underprivileged. As it grew in the wild across forests and hills, it was difficult to harvest. Nakima is nutritious and contains a range of antioxidants. Satyadeep S. Chhetri’s account from October 1997, reveals that there was no demand for it then. This perception has completely changed now. Nakima is farmed and sold at high prices today. Given its growing demand, it is important to focus on sustainability and conservation as the plant is  at risk of over-harvesting.

 

How can you use it?

Nakima flowers need to be blanched to remove the bitter taste. Once blanched, the flowers can be used in curries, stir-fried with vegetables, or sun-dried for pickling. The water used for blanching is nutrient-rich and can be retained.

What states can I find it in?

West Bengal
Sikkim
Meghalaya

What parts of the plant are edible?

Flowers

Is it nutritious?

Nakima contains antioxidants and high amounts of bioactive chemicals like phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. 

How do you store it?

Fresh nakima is highly seasonal and perishable, and must be consumed soon after purchase or harvesting. To increase the shelf life, the flowers can be blanched, dried, and then pickled to use for up to a year.

The Nakima Chronicles: A Sikkim treat that charms gourmands

This article traces the journey of Nakima from a wild foraged vegetable to a prized delicacy. 

Nakima Sabji Recipe by Bhawana

Nakima Achar Recipe by Susi Thulung

‘Know Your Desi Ingredients’ is an ever-expanding repository of knowledge for ingredients that are native to the Indian subcontinent and adapted into the mainstream culinary narratives of people, places, and cultures across India. If you would like to share more information about the write-ups featured here, send us an email at connect@thelocavore.in with your inputs and any verified sources we should look into.