This thread is for a collection of nepalese vegetables and spices...
For fruits, check out other thread Database of nepalese fruits
I'll start with Sisnu as it was questioned in the database of fruits.
Sisnu or सिस्नु or Nettle plant
अब यसलाइ साग भनौँ या झारपात यहाँहरुकै इच्छ्या।
The Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica

from http://www.naturepark.com/snettle.htm
Most people who tromp through forests in the Pacific Northwest have, at one time or another, felt the reaction that stinging nettle causes on their skin. They often wonder which of the many green plants caused their white itchy bumps and assume it was poison ivy. In fact, Poison Ivy does not grow in temperate coastal rainforests and so, in most cases, the culprit is probably the stinging nettle, Urtica dioica.

Stinging Nettles are perennials that belong in the nettle family Urticaceae and have opposite leaves. They are common in coastal areas of BC, Washington and Oregon and inland in south and central BC. They grow best in moist forests and prefer shady disturbed areas where they grow in patches. They are found at low elevations up to subalpine areas.

Plants in the nettle family and mint family are often confused with each other since some of the common names call members of the mint family by a nettle name. These include: hedge-nettle, hemp-nettle and dead-nettle. All members of the mint family have a stem that is square in cross-section. None of these listed above belong to the nettle family.

Stinging Nettles are one of the first forest floor plants to appear in the spring, usually in early March, sprouting up from under last fall's dead leaf litter. Each of iths leaves are about 10 cm long, roughly heart-shaped (rounded at one end and taper to a point at the other) and have large teeth around the leaf edge (which I think of as reaching out to bite you). They also have tiny hollow hairs on the main stem, leaf stems and on veins on both upper and lower sides of the leaves.

In April, greenish clusters of tiny flowers hang down from the joint of the leaf stem and main plant stem. At this point, they have reached their full size of up to 3 m tall. Plant size tends to vary depending on the amount of light and moisture.

Flowers later develop into seeds which are blown off the parent plant and grow nearby. Stinging nettle also spread using rhizomes or underground roots that shoot out to the side.

When a human brushes by the plant and it touches their skin, the tiny hollw hairs break off and release an acid which irritates the skin and causes white itchy spots to appear. The degree and length of itchiness depends on the individaul's skin sensitivity. Some people suffer for as long as 24 hours, while others only have the sensation for an hour or so.
Humans have thicker skin on their palms and this area is often immune to penetration of the acid due to the thicker skin. Back sides of hands, arms, legs and most other areas of the body are usually affected.

The acid is formic acid, the same acid ants have in their saliva glands. Like any acid, it can be neutralized by mixing it with a base. Applying a paste of baking soda made with a little water soothes the sting for most people if applied to the site immediately. I carry a small vial of baking soda for this purpose when hiking in the woods.

Human spit tends to be slightly basic and when rubbed into the itchy area will help if baking soda is not handy.

One local plant is basic and may be crushed and rubbed on the itchy area, providing the person is not allergic to the plant material. This plant is the Curled Dock Rumex crispus and grows in the same habitat as stinging nettle.

Stinging Nettle also has an interesting history as a useful plant. Fresh leaves were collected before they flowered, then dried completely, crushed and steeped in water to make a tea. When new leaves were collected in spring, and boiled in several changes of water, the resulting greens were said to make a good sprinach substitute. Stems and leaves steeped raw in a bucket of water for 24 hours released the formic acid into the water. The stems were then removed and the water used as an organic pesticide and applied to plants with mites or aphids. First Nations used the pithy stems to make string and rope for fishnets, snares and tumplines.

The plant is also useful to wldlife. Red Admiral Butterflies lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves so the young will have a meal as soon as they hatch. Look for the holes they chew in the leaf by these voracious eaters!
by Donna Hill B.Sc. B.Ed. 1998
***************************
also used as medicine
from http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,10048,00.html
What Is It?

Also known as "stinging nettle" because the prickly hollow needles on its dark green leaves sting and burn upon contact, nettle (Urtica dioica) is an ancient herbal remedy for snakebites, asthma, arthritis, urinary tract inflammation, and excessive menstrual flow. While the above-ground parts of the plant--the leaf and the stem--are generally still used for these purposes, the roots are now popular for treating the discomforts of an enlarged prostate.

This flowering perennial can be found growing wild in the wastelands of the United States, Canada, and Europe. It's even used as a kitchen herb in many parts of world. Luckily, drying or boiling the plant dissolves the painful bristles. Many people like to steam the leaves to eat like spinach, or simmer them in soup. The young shoots are actually quite rich in vitamin C.

Health Benefits

The herb and leaf have several known therapeutic qualities: They fight inflammation, act as an antihistamine, and have a diuretic effect, meaning they increase the flow of urine. The herb has also been explored as a treatment for the premenstrual bloating (fluid retention) that many women develop before their periods.

Arthritis sufferers may benefit from nettle's anti-inflammatory actions. In fact, nettle leaf extract is a Native American folk remedy for rheumatic pains. Topical formulations of nettle herb juice have been used to treat joint pain, too, as well as acne, hemorrhoids, and other skin problems. There is now evidence that taking the herb along with a prescription arthritis drug (diclofenac was used in one study) enables arthritis sufferers to reduce their dosage of prescription medication. (Don't undertake such a change without consulting your doctor, however.)

Rich in silica and other minerals important for nail growth, a cup of nettle leaf tea a day may help to nourish and strengthen nails.

Specifically, nettle may help to:

Fight urinary tract infections. Drinking nettle leaf tea has become popular in Germany for treating bladder infections and other inflammations of the lower urinary tract. In addition to promoting the excretion of excess fluids (which helps flush out harmful bacteria) the herb has immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.

Treat prostate problems. Nettle root appears to be particularly useful for men with BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia), a condition in which the prostate gland gradually enlarges, slowly narrowing the urethra that drains urine from the bladder and ultimately causing urination difficulties. Study findings indicate that preparations made from nettle root specifically (not the stems or leaves) may relieve some of the early symptoms of BPH, including nighttime urination and residual urine. The root may do this by slowing the growth of the prostate, but more research is needed.
Nettle root extract, when blended with an extract of the herb pygeum africanum, may inhibit the hormonal changes that lead to BPH. In fact, herbal remedies for prostate enlargement frequently combine these herbs along with saw palmetto, another natural substance that has shown great promise in controlling BPH symptoms.
Reduce seasonal allergy (hay fever) symptoms. Familiar hay fever symptoms--nasal congestion, sneezing, itching, watery eyes--are triggered by an immune-system overreaction to airborne particles (allergens) such as pollen and ragweed. Nettle leaf may help minimize hay fever discomforts by supplying compounds that inhibit the release of histamine, the inflammatory substance triggered by these allergens.
Unfortunately, there has been very little research on the value of nettle for hay fever sufferers. In one clinical trial, however, more than half of the hay fever sufferers taking nettle (in freeze-dried form) reported moderate to excellent relief from allergy symptoms. In contrast, less than 40% of those taking a placebo felt any better.
Forms
* tincture
* liquid
* dried herb/tea
* capsule
Dosage Information
Special tip: When buying nettle supplements, make sure to differentiate nettle leaf from nettle root because they are used differently. Try to purchase either in a freeze-dried form or as a standardized extract.
# For urinary tract infections: Drink several cups of nettle leaf tea daily. To make the tea, use 2 teaspoons of dried nettle leaf for each 8 ounces of water. Pour very hot (not boiling) water over the herb, steep for 5 minutes, and then strain. You can add 1 teaspoon of echinacea or goldenseal to the tea to enhance its immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory effects.
# For prostate problems: Take 500 mg standardized extract of nettle root twice a day in conjunction with other prostate-healthy herbs such as saw palmetto (160 mg twice a day) and pygeum africanum (100 mg twice a day).
# For seasonal allergies: Take a 250 mg or 300 mg nettle leaf capsule containing the standardized extract three times a day on an empty stomach.
Be sure to check out our Dosage Recommendations Chart for Nettle, which has therapeutic dosages for specific ailments at a glance.

Guidelines for Use
# Except when treating hay fever, which responds best to nettle taken on an empty stomach, take this herb (or root) with food to lessen the risk of stomach upset.
# As a diuretic, nettle leaf promotes urination. To avoid dehydration and a healthy balance of body fluids, be sure to drink plenty of liquids throughout the day while taking nettle.
# Keep in mind that the root of the nettle plant is the only form effective for prostate problems. When treating any other ailment, select a product made from the leaf or other above-ground part of the nettle plant.
General Interaction
# There are no known drug or nutrient interactions associated with nettle root.
# However, the leaf and other above-ground parts of the plant contain compounds that could, in theory, cause unwanted interactions with certain medications. Consult your doctor before combining these forms of nettle with the following medications: anticoagulants (blood-thinners), antidiabetes drugs (they may interfere with blood sugar control), blood pressure medications (excessive amounts of nettle may interfere with blood pressure control), drugs that suppress the central nervous system (their effects may be increased), and the anti-inflammatory diclofenac.
Possible Side Effects
# Nettle is considered quite safe at commonly recommended dosages. Occasionally, however, the root in particular causes mild indigestion, diarrhea, or other stomach upset. Taking nettle with food may lessen the risk of these reactions.
# Skin redness and irritation may develop if you apply nettle topically or accidentally touch the above-ground parts of the plant before they have been dried or otherwise treated.
Cautions
# Stick to commonly recommended dosages for this herb.
# Don't stop taking a prescription medication and start taking nettle root for prostate problems without discussing the change with your doctor.
# If you have diabetes, consult your doctor about taking nettle; recent animal studies indicate that the herb may increase blood sugar levels, not decrease them as suggested previously.
# Don't take nettle if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
# Consult your doctor before taking nettle leaf for swelling or other fluid retention associated with such potentially serious disorders as impaired heart or kidney function.
Ailments
Dosage
Allergies
250-500 mg nettle leaf extract 3 times a day
Prostate Problems
250-300 mg nettle root extract twice a day or 30-45 drops liquid extract twice a day
Urinary Tract Infections
1 cup nettle leaf tea several times a day

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Rayo ko sag (Brassica rapa
There are more than 15 varietis of rayo ko sag....euta ko maile veteko internet ma....
:)

Description
40 days. Closely related to Mizuna, these erect plants have great bunches of smooth, non-lobed light green leaves. Their mildly sharp flavour is great in salads. Vigorous growth, ideally suited for cut-and-come-again. Grows year round if protected. Japanese seed.

Cultivation and Propagation
Because of their rapid growth many oriental greens are susceptible to bolting as the days begin to lengthen and warm up, so plant them as early in the spring as you can work the soil. Many growers prepare the soil late in the previous summer by adding compost and manure, working it in and planting a light cover crop. Early next spring, fork over the cover crop; after a week you will have a ready seed bed. Make the first sowing in March, reseeding if seedlings are lost. Transplants also work well if started in March and set out 3 weeks later. Sow 15 seeds per 30cm (1 ft.), 1cm (1/3 in.) deep and thin to 10-15cm (4-6 in.) when well up. Good nutrition is needed for quick growth. One cup of complete organic fertilizer per 3m (10 ft.) of row, followed by a fine band of fishmeal or high nitrogen fertilizer dug in under the seed row to provide nitrogen and other nutrients. In rainy weather, row covers or cloches help to ensure growth. Fall sowings are excellent for most greens. As the days begin to cool and shorten in August, most oriental greens are right at home. Certain very cold-hardy mustards sown in August will stand all winter. All mustards will grow in winter cloches and frames.
DISEASE
Practise crop rotation as a general principle of good gardening, and plant these brassicas after potatoes in the cole crop rotation.
HARVEST:
Cut leaves and stalks as desired. When flowering begins, eat the delicious unopened flowers and the stalks below them.

Thank you birkhe maila for rayo ko saag
but please include at least a picture of the related vegetables in your post.
here is one pic or Brassica rapa or रायो साग

sorry bro :P
birsecha
hehe

Mula or मुला or Raddish
no problem Birkhe_maila... just trying to give more info to the readers ;-)
from http://food.oregonstate.edu/v/radish.html

What is the botany of the radish?
The cultivated radish, Raphanus sativus, belongs to the Cruciferae or mustard family, so named because of the cross-shaped flowers. The word "raphanus" is from the Greek meaning "quick appearing" and has been freely translated as meaning "easily reared". The name alludes to the plant's quick germination and rapid growth and the fact it can be grown in many environments. Members of the Cruciferae have more or less pungent, watery juice and some are used for condiments. The family includes cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kohlrabi, turnips, horseradish and the cresses, such as watercress.

The radish is an annual or a biennial depending on when it is planted. If planted in the spring, the plant can complete its life cycle as an annual, developing a long stem bearing the typical cruciferous flowers. The flowers are usually white or tinged with rose-lilac. When grown as a fall crop, flowers do not form until the following spring. The taproot is fleshy and two vertical rows of lateral roots arise opposite each other. A rosette of leaves grows from the root crown. The leaves are rough-hairy, oblong-oval and either of strap or cut form; tops are short, medium or long according to variety.

The roots are of many shapes - round, turnip-shaped, oval, olive-shaped, half-long or long according to variety, and the long radishes may be cylindrical with tapered tip or even having something of a reverse taper with the base larger than the shoulder. The size varies from a few grams for some popular early English and American varieties to up to one kilogram (2.2 lb) for the late Japanese field radish, the daikon.

The external color of the root varies from white, through pink, red, purple and to black; it may be black above and white below. Yellow varieties are known but not common. Pollination is performed chiefly by insects. The fruit pod is a silicle which is about one to three inches in length and does not come open to discharge the seeds at maturity. The quick growing spring radishes are mild, crisp, moderately firm and highly perishable. The slow growing summer and winter radishes are pungent, firm, and storage.

What is the history of the radish?
Radishes have been cultivated in China for thousands of years, and Sturtevant believed it to be the country of origin because truly wild forms have been found there. If this were true, then radishes spread into Middle Asia as a secondary center of development in pre-historic times. De Candolle believes that radishes originated in Western Asia between Palestine, Anatolia, and the Caucasus, perhaps also from Greece. The supporting evidence for this view is that R. sativus doesn't appear with certainty in the flora of Eastern Asia, but that it does grow wild south of the Caucasus. In Egypt, radishes were a common food long before the pyramids were built. Edgar Anderson calls the radish "one of our most ancient cultivated plants."

Ancient Greek writers made frequent mention of radishes. So highly did the Greeks esteem this vegetable that small replicas of them were made in gold in connection with Apollo worship. On the other hand, the Greeks were satisfied with replicas of beets in silver and of turnips in lead. In the third century B.C. a Greek physician wrote a book about the radish plant. The Greeks appear to have been acquainted with three varieties.

The Romans at the beginning of the Christian era were also familiar with the radish. Their writers described various kinds including small round and small long forms as well as large types weighing several pounds each. It is thought that they introduced the radish to the Germans.

The radish appears not to have reached England until 1548 but in 1597 Gerarde in his Herbal mentions four varieties as being grown. He says that some were "eaten raw with bread" but for the most part "used as a sauce with meates to procure appetite."

Peter Martyr wrote in the 1500's about radishes seen in Mexico; and in 1565 Benzoni reported they were abundant in Haiti. By 1629 they were being cultivated in Massachusetts as reported by William Wood. From then on the cultivation of radishes spread rapidly in this country, and in 1806 McMahon's catalog mentions 10 kins.

Very large radishes have been grown for a long time. The old Roman writer Pliny (26-113 A.D.) wrote of long white radishes the size of a boy infant. Such larger radishes were known in northern Europe and England. A German botanist in 1544 reported seeing radishes weighing 100 pounds. Commodore Perry reported in 1852-54 that Lew chew radishes grew in Japan two and three feet long and more than 12 inches in diameter. In 1604 Acosta wrote that he had seen in the Indies "redish rootes as bigge as a man's arme, very tender and of good taste." Varieties of both round and long radishes weighing several pounds each are common in Japan today.

What is the origin of the name radish?
The Latin word for root is radix, which gave rise to the Old English raedic and the Old High German ratih. These have been modernized to radish and rettig respectively. An alternative modern German word for radish is radies; in French the word is radis, in Spanish rabano, in Italian ravanello, in Russian rediska, and in Danish radise.

What is optimum storage temperature and humidity for radishes?
For topped summer radishes, the storage life at 32F and high relative humidity (90 to95%) is 3 to 4 weeks; at 45F it is less than a week. The storage life of bunched radishes is roughly half as long. Storage life may be increased by the addition of chlorine to water used in washing and cooling (and also by suitable controlled atmospheres.). Ryal and Lipton find no need for growth inhibitors when the radishes are held near recommended temperatures.

Radishes per 100 Grams
Nutrient
Water (g) 94.84
Calories 17.00
Protein, g 0.60
Fat g 0.54
CHO: total, g 3.59
CHO: fiber, crude g 0.54
Ash, mg 0.54
Calcium, mg 221.00
Phosphorus, mg 18.00
Iron, mg 0.29
Sodium, mg 24.00
Potassium, mg 232.00
Vitamin A, IU 8.00
Thiamine, mg 0.005
Riboflavin, mg 0.045
Niacin, mg0.30
Ascorbic Acid, mg 22.80
From USDA Handbook 8
**************************
मुलाको अचार जस्तो त अरु केहि हुन्न ;-) yummy yummy

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Koiralo or कोइरालो or Bauhinia variegata
I donno about much of you here, but I love Koiralo flowers' and buds' pickle. Its
wonderful.
It is easily available in kathmandu valley... specially godavari side.
from http://www.floridata.com/ref/B/bauh_var.cfm

Bauhinia variegata
Floridata ID: 946
Family: Fabaceae/Leguminosae (bean family)
Common Names: orchid tree, purple orchid tree, mountain ebony,
Description
Purple orchid tree is closely related to peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) and to the tree many consider the world's most beautiful, the royal poinciana (Delonix regia) - and it shows! Purple orchid tree (usually just called orchid tree) is staggeringly beautiful when in bloom - and it blooms for several months! Orchid tree grows 20-40 ft (6-12 m) tall and 10-20 ft (3-6 m) wide with a spreading crown of briefly deciduous leaves which are 4-6 in (10-15 cm) across and rounded with lobed ends and heart shaped bases. The leaves are shaped a little like a cow's hoof. Some cultivars have leaves with white variegations. The flowers are reminiscent of showy orchids, with five irregular, usually slightly overlapping petals in shades of magenta, lavender or purplish blue. The flowers often make their first appearance in late winter while the tree is bare of leaves. The blooming period then lasts until early summer. The flowers are 3-5 in (7.6-12.7 cm) across and carried in clusters at the branch tips. A member of the bean family, orchid tree produces flattened brown woody legumes (pods) up to 12 in (30.5 cm) long. The cultivar 'Candida' (white orchid tree) has snow white flowers with greenish veins.

Hong Kong orchid tree (Bauhinia X blakeana is a sterile hybrid between (probably) B. variegata and B. purpurea, and is usually considered to be the most beautiful of all the orchid trees. It is a somewhat larger tree, evergreen with large thick leaves and striking purplish red flowers.

Location
Orchid trees is native to northern India, Viet Nam and southeastern China.

Culture
Orchid trees do best in acidic soil and suffer under limey conditions. They are not tolerant of salty conditions, either.
Light: Full sun. Orchid tree can tolerate very light shade from tall pines, for example.
Moisture: Water freely during the summer and less so in winter. Orchid tree may drop its leaves during winter drought, but this is not a bad thing.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 9 - 11. Orchid tree is a subtropical plant that usually recovers from brief freezes (after dropping its leaves). It gets tree sized in the tropics, but will stay shrublike where it is subjected to frost and freezing. Purple orchid tree can survive temperatures to 22?F (-5.5?C). The hybrid, Hong Kong orchid tree, is not so hardy and usually killed by temperatures below 26?F (-3.3?C).
Propagation: Seeds germinate readily. Orchid tree also can be propagated from cuttings of semiripe wood taken in summer and rooted over bottom heat. Branches can be induced to grow roots if they are layered, either by burying a section in the ground, or scarring a small section and then wrapping it with damp sphagnum moss and enclosing in a plastic bag. The tree sometimes produces suckers which can be dug up and replanted.

orchid tree
Compact size and long flowering season make the orchid tree suitable for small yards in Zones 9+ but select sterile hybrids in areas where this tree is invasive (like Florida).
Usage
Orchid tree is used as a street tree, shade tree, specimen or focal tree in tropical and subtropical landscapes. It bears beautiful fragrant flowers abundantly in late winter and early spring and intermittently through summer. Orchid trees have brittle branches that can break in strong winds and they can be messy, dropping hundreds of dried pods in autumn. The hybrid, Hong Kong orchid tree doesn't produce pods because it is sterile.

Features
There are more than 200 species in the genus Bauhinia. Purple orchid tree, sometimes sold under the name B. purpurea, is the most frequently planted species. An abstract version of a Hong Kong orchid tree (B. X blakeana) blossom appears on the flag of the city-state of Hong Kong (I dunno though, it looks more like a plumeria blossom to me - Jack).

WARNING
The Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council lists the orchid tree as a Category 1 invasive species. This category identifies "invasive exotics that are altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives". This was one of the original eleven species that the Florida Nurserymen and Growers Association recommended for removal from the market by its members.

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Neupani Ji,
Have you tried "Plants and People of Nepal" by Narayan P. Manadhar by Timber Press. It's pretty good with names, not just in nepali. It also gives as much names as they're called in different part of Nepal by various ethnic group.

Taro or Karkalo and Piindaalu or कर्कलो र पिँडालु
Colocasia esculenta, C. antiquorum
कर्कलोको तरकारी थरिथरि तरिकाले पकाउन मिल्छ
हरियोमा चुक अमिलो हालेर, बफाएर-सुकाएर गाभा बनाएर, डाँठको अचार,
पिँडालुको पनि थरिथरि परिकार हुन्छन, सइरोको पनि अचार बन्छ।
आँखाको लागि एकदम बेश हो यो तरकारि, भिटामिन ए प्रशस्त छ।
from -http://www.asiafood.org/glossary_1.cfm?alpha=T&wordid=3317&startno=1&endno=25

OtherLanguages:
Cambodia: bac ha (leaf petioles)
China: woo tau, yu
Fiji: rou rou
Hawaii: luau
India: arvi, patra
Indonesia: talas
Japan: sato-imo (yam), zuiki (leaf petioles)
Malaysia: keladi
Philippines: gabi
Sri Lanka: kiri ala
Tahiti: fafa
Thailand: phueak
Vietnam: khoai mon

Taro is to the Pacific what potatoes are to Ireland - a staple food. The corms are the starchy staple and are the basis for the much-talked-about poi of Hawaii, cooked, mashed and fermented, and described as 'one-finger poi', 'two-finger poi' and 'three-finger poi', depending on its thickness. One-finger poi is the thickest, presumably solid enough to be scooped up and eaten on one finger. The leaves are also eaten, cooked like spinach.

The substance is tiny crystals of calcium oxalate, exceedingly sharp, which puncture delicate membranes of mouth and tongue and cause intense irritation. One publication says 'some varieties have higher acridity but most of the cultivated varieties are free from it'.

The late Jane Grigson, in her excellent book, Cooking with Exotic Fruits and Vegetables relates an experience after she and her daughter had cooked and tasted taro leaf stalks, runners and shoots.'Our throats began to ache in a strange way, as if they were swelling up. We feared we were soon going to be unable to breathe. After a lot of water the sensation vanished.

Spinach or silverbeet leaves may be substituted for taro leaves and then the cooking time may be shortened.

Pursuing the subject with Dr Alistair Hay of the Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia, he had this to say:

'The irritant factors in Aroids including Colocasia esculenta are much more complicated than just calcium oxalate . . . there is a cocktail of crystals and other irritating substances, and the range of irritation found in different cultivars and the different cooking times required probably reflects variation in amounts of the different substances, some of which are more quickly destroyed by heat than others.'

Most books say very little about the care needed when cooking and eating taro. After my experience in Samoa (which proves that even Pacific island cooks who know the plant well are not infallible), I want to prevent anyone else having a similar episode, though my editor sighs and says, 'You do go on about it'.

There are many kinds of taro, and one member of the Colocasia family, Colocasia gigantea, produces no tuber, neither is the leaf eaten, but the leaf stalks are sliced and used in Cambodian and Vietnamese soups, lightly cooked and still crisp. Their porous structure enables them to hold the flavoursome stock much as a sponge holds water. They have also been discovered by adventurous chefs of other persuasions and are served sliced in salads and other dishes where the delicate flavour and crisp texture find favour. These petioles (leaf stalks) may even be eaten raw, but first make sure they are the right kind - the Japanese call it zuiki; Cambodians and Vietnamese, bac ha. Ask for an English translation and they will tell you 'taro', but it is best to buy it from a shop and not to go foraging yourself unless you are knowledgeable about such matters.
*********************************

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ए नेपाने,
धेरै राम्रो काम गरि रहनु भा को छ, मेरो प्रशंसा छ है । मैले त दिनकै हेर्चु यो मेलो ।

बरु शिबबुटीले किन ठाम नपाको नि अहिले सम्मन ?


Keep rolling...

>कर्कलो, आँखाको लागि एकदम बेश हो यो तरकारि, भिटामिन ए प्रशस्त छ।
भरे कर्कलो किनेर फर्किनु पर्ला।
पीँडालू भए नि आँखालाई राम्रो हुन्छ नेपाने?

L 1.5 R 1.4 रे यार मेरो आँखा कमजोर भेऽर।
L 1.5 R 1.5 मा उकास्छु अब।

धन्यबाद सिरि५
अब शिवबुटीलाइ कता राखम् भनेर सोच्दै छु।
फलफुलमा राखे दादा गिरीले "त्यो फलफुल हो र?" भनिहाल्छन्
तरकारीम राखे त झन् के भन्लान्
आर्को database बनाउनु पर्ला plants of nepal भनेर, के छ बिचार?

दादा गिरी ज्यु, मेरो पनि आँखा कमजोर भाछ अम्रिका आएदेखी,
-1.75L
-1.50R
यो पक्कै पनि कर्कलो खान नपाएर हो ;-)
कर्कलोको पात is on the top of list for vegetables providing vitamin A.
पिँडालु is not that rich in vitamin A as it is not green.
But u have to be an expert to cook green leaves otherwise ur घाँटि त कोक्याएर आपद पर्छ।
ल अरु पछि।।।

नेपाने जी,
खाली फाइदा बेफाइदा मत्रै केलाम्नी भा त यहाँ पुनि छ केरे,
- http://sajha.com/sajha/html/openthread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=22921&show=all

दादाको प्रसँगमा,

खोई यहाँ डाउँडर साप हुर पुनि हुनुहुन्छन केरे, सत्य-तथ्य त उहाँहुरले नै बताम्नु होला केरे ।

आँखा को लागि त के जाति हो "बेटा-क्यारोटिन" भन्नी धेरै खान पर्च भन्चन हैन र ? अब चईनी "क्यारोट"
मा फल्नी -फुल्नी भनेर होला केरे "क्यारोटिन" भनेको , तेसो भासि गाजर हसुर्नी हो भनी आँखा तेजिला भाका
होलान नि । कता हो म्यागेजिनाँ एउटी तरुनीले त गाजरका बाटुला बाटुला चाना काटेर आँखामा टपक्कै
ठेँडी लाको फुटो पुनि देख्याथेँ ।

अब सिखरेट, तमाखु खाएर कि बुढौली लाएर कमजोर भाका हुन भनी चईनी Bausch & Lomb को
Ocuvite PreserVision भन्नी दबाई पाईन्च यता हाम्राँ तिर त, मलाई त तेसले उबार ग-यो है ठ्याक्कै ।
तेसमा चईनी beta-carotene को साटो Lutein भन्नी हालेको हुन्च रे है ।

जे होस, तपैका आँखा टाठा होउन चाँडै नै, मेरो धेरै धेरै शुभकामना छ है ।

Keep rolling...

Turnip or सलगम or Rutabaga
It is of similar species of रायो साग but there are many varieties.
from http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/vegetabletravelers/turnip.html

Turnip and Its Hybrid Offspring

Much confusion surrounded the origins, even the identity, of turnips and rutabagas, or "Swedes," for a long time. They are distinctly different species.

Most varieties of turnip are white-fleshed and most varieties of rutabaga are yellow-fleshed, but there are also white-fleshed rutabagas and yellow-fleshed turnips. Rutabaga leaves are smooth like cabbage leaves, while those of the turnip are somewhat rough, with sparse, stiff "hairs" over them.

The most significant difference between them, however, is in the make-up of their mechanisms of heredity, the structures of their individual cells. The turnip has 20 chromosomes, while the rutabaga has 38. And thereby hangs a tale-the tale of the origin of the rutabaga.

Study Indicates a Turnip-Cabbage Cross

Recent botanical detective work indicates that a rather rare kind of hybridization between some form of cabbage (18 chromosomes) and turnip (20 chromosomes) resulted in the new species, rutabaga (20 + 18 = 38 chromosomes).

No one knows when or where this occurred, but the new species was probably first found in Europe some time in the late Middle Ages. There was no record of it until 1620 when the Swiss botanist Caspar Bauhin described it.

Turnip (Brassica rapa) is of ancient culture, many distinct kinds having been known to the Romans at the beginning of the Christian Era. Some of those varieties bore Greek place names, indicating earlier culture and development by the ancient Greeks.

In the first century Pliny described long turnips, flat turnips, round turnips. He wrote of turnips under the names rapa and napus. In Middle English this latter term became nepe, naep in Anglo-Saxon. One of these words, together with turn ("made round"), became our common word "turnip."

Man appreciated the usefulness of the turnip during the prehistoric development of agriculture, and the plant was so easy to grow in so many places that it became widely distributed all the way from the Mediterranean across Asia to the Pacific.

The European types of turnip, our commonest kinds, developed in the Mediterranean area. The basic center of the Asiatic kinds is in middle Asia, west of the Himalayas. There are also two secondary centers-eastern Asia and Asia Minor.

The European type of turnip was grown in France for both food and stock feed at least as early as the first century after Christ.

In the England of Henry VIII, turnip roots were boiled or baked, the tops were cooked as "greens," and the young shoots were used as a salad. (In parts of our South today turnip leaves for greens are called "turnip salad.")

The turnip was brought to America by Jacques Cartier, who planted it in Canada in 1541. It was also planted in Virginia by the colonists in 1609 and in Massachusetts in the 1620's. The Indians adopted its culture from the colonists and soon grew it generally.

Since colonial times the turnip has been one of the commonest garden vegetables in America. It is primarily a cool-weather crop, suitable for summer culture only in the northernmost States or at high altitudes.

European varieties of turnips are biennial. One Oriental variety commonly grown here, however, called Shogoin, will go to seed in its first season if planted in the spring.

A few varieties of leaf turnips (no enlarged root) such as Seven Top are grown only for greens. The leaves of the turnip are usually rich in the minerals and vitamins that are essential to health, but the roots have a relatively low food value. In this country the roots are usually eaten boiled, either fresh or from pit or cellar storage. In Europe kraut is commonly made from the sliced roots.

Rutabaga Also Called "Swede"

Rutabaga (Brassica napobrassica) gets its name from Swedish rotabagge. In England and Canada it is commonly called "Swede," or "Swede turnip." The French called it navet de Suede (Swede turnip), chou de Suede (Swede cabbage), and chou navet jaune (yellow cabbage turnip). It was known in the United States about 1800 as "turnip-rooted cabbage." Although common names suggest a Scandinavian origin, this is not certain.

Rutabaga was apparently known on the Continent many years before it was grown in England. It was little known in England in 1664 when it was grown in the royal gardens. It was used for food in France and southern Europe in the 17th century. Both white and yellow-fleshed varieties have been known in Europe for more than 300 years.

The rutabaga requires a longer growing season than our turnips, but, like the turnip, it is sensitive to hot weather. Its culture is therefore confined largely to the northernmost States and Canada and to northern Europe and Asia. It is a staple crop in northern Europe, but a minor crop in America and in the Orient. It is more nutritious than the turnip, chiefly because it contains more solid matter.
*****************
from http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/turnip1.html
Turnip / Rutabaga
Turnips grow wild in Siberia and have been eaten since prehistoric times. Rutabagas are a cross between cabbage and turnip.

Turnips are easy to grow if sown in the proper season. They mature in two months and may be planted either in the spring, late summer or fall for roots or greens. The spring crop is planted for early summer use. The fall crop, which is usually larger and of higher quality, is often stored for winter use.

Because rutabagas require 4 weeks longer to mature than turnips, they are best grown as a fall crop. The leaves are smoother and the roots are rounder, larger and firmer than those of turnips. Rutabaga is most commonly grown in the northern tier of states and Canada but should perform fairly well anywhere there is a fairly long cool period in the autumn or early winter.

Recommended%20Varieties

Turnip (white-fleshed unless noted):

Just Right (hybrid - 28 days to harvest for greens and 60 days for roots; smooth, high quality, mild roots, pure white; for fall)

Gilfeather (75 days; Vermont heirloom; egg-shaped, uniform, large; creamy white, smooth texture, delicate flavor, smooth foliage, almost like a rutabaga)

Golden Ball (60 days, sweet, fine-grained yellow flesh)

Market Express (earliest, 38 days for baby turnips, pure white roots)

Purple Top White Globe (55 days, the standard purple and white; smooth, globe roots)

Royal Crown (hybrid - 52 days, purple top, fast growth, uniform roots, resistant to bolting)

Scarlet Queen (hybrid - 45 days, bright scarlet root, smooth white flesh, resistant to downy mildew, slow to get pithy)

Tokyo Cross (hybrid - 35 days; AAS winner; all-white, uniform, round roots; slow to get pithy)

White Knight (75 days, smooth, uniform, pure white, flattened globe roots)

White Lady (hybrid-pure white, sweet, tender, delicious roots, slow to get pithy; smooth tops)

Turnip Greens:

Alltop (hybrid - 35 days, vigorous, high-yielding, rapid regrowth, resistant to mosaic)

Seven Top (open-pollinated - 40 days; dark green leaves; for tops only)

Shogoin (42 days; tender, mild; roots good when young)

Topper (hybrid - 35 days; heavy yields, vigorous regrowth; good bolt resistance; resistant to mosaic; pale green roots also edible)

Rutabaga (yellow-fleshed):

Altasweet (92 days; purple shoulders, light yellow below; mild, sweet flavor)

American Purple Top (90 days, large globe-shaped roots with purple top and light yellow flesh)

Improved Long Island (90 days; large, spherical; purplish red shoulders, light yellow below; small taproot)

Laurentian (90 days; dark purple shoulders, pale yellow below; smooth, uniform roots, small necks)

Pike (100 days; purple shoulders; similar to Laurentian, better leaf cover, may be left in field later in fall); and Red Chief (90 days)

When%20to%20Plant

For summer use, turnips should be planted as early in the spring as possible. For fall harvest, plant rutabagas about 100 days before the first frost and plant turnips about 3 to 4 weeks later.

Fall turnips may also be broadcast after early potatoes, cabbage, beets and peas or between rows of sweet corn. Prepare a good seedbed and rake the seed in lightly. No cultivation is necessary, but you may find that a few large weeds must be removed by hand. Provide ample water for seed germination and vigorous plant growth. Both turnips and rutabagas have been used for excellent fall and early winter stock feed when broadcast onto fields left vacant by earlier crop harvest.

Spacing%20&%20Depth

Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep (3 to 20 seeds per foot of row). Allow 12 to 24 inches between rows. Water if necessary to germinate the seed and establish the seedlings (especially for summer sowings). Thin rutabaga seedlings to six inches apart when they are two inches tall. Thin turnip seedlings to 2 to 4 inches apart when they are four inches tall. The removed plants are large enough to use as greens. If you have planted turnips for greens, harvest the tops as needed when they are 4 to 6 inches tall. If the growing points are not removed, tops continue to regrow. Successive plantings at 10 day intervals provide later harvests of quality roots or greens. Old turnips tend to be tough and woody. Rutabagas are not usually sown in succession due to their longer time requirement before harvest. In mild areas, large rutabagas may hold in the garden well into the winter.

Care
When the plants are small, cultivate 2 to 3 inches deep between rows. As the plants become larger, cultivate more shallowly to prevent injury to the tender feeder roots. Pull weeds that appear in the row before they become too large.

Harvesting
Turnips and rutabagas store well in refrigerator. Spring turnips should be pulled or cut when the roots or tops reach usable size. Harvest fall roots starting in early autumn or as needed. Turnips and rutabagas are of best quality (mild and tender) when they are of medium size (turnips should be 2 to 3 inches in diameter and rutabagas 3 to 5 inches in diameter) and have grown quickly and without interruption. Both are hardy to fall frosts and may, in fact, be sweetened by cool weather. A heavy straw mulch extends harvest through the early part of the winter. They may be dipped in warm (but not hot) wax to prevent loss of moisture.

Common Problems
Root maggots can be a problem in areas where radishes, turnips or rutabagas were grown the previous year. The soil should be treated with a suggested insecticide before the next planting.

Q. Why are my rutabagas small, tough and bitter tasting?
A. Rutabagas are best grown in northern areas or as a fall crop. When they develop and mature in hot weather, they do not develop typical sweetness and flavor. In southerly locations, try adjusting the planting season so that root development takes place in the cooler days of fall, whenever that may be in your area.

Q. Can you use turnips for greens?
A. Turnip tops are nutritious and often eaten as cooked greens. Certain cultivars - such as ?Shogoin? - are grown exclusively for greens. Other cultivars provide both greens and roots - such as ?Purple Top,? ?White Globe,? ?Just Right? and ?Tokyo Market.?

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how diffirent is turnip from kolrabri (sp?)? it is not a nepali name. are they two diffirent variants?

neupane bro..u really started with the best vege there ever is!!seriously speakin..dunno if sishnu grows in other parts of the world..but once u get beaten with it...u wont ever forget it re kya ;oP wahhahaa....anyways cheers for the info and now i know the english name for it..can go around askn me frens if they have been beaten by the "stinging nettle" hehe....and oh yah another thing(didnt really read the whole info :oS..dun mind me..such info mero lai no kaam ke..budhi ma remain garna..:oS..do enjoy the pics tho ;o)..and of cos think about the nepali tarkari made from these veges hehe)..do we just eat sishnu soup?or can u actually fry them etc?:oS...

alik confused..:oS..i think i ate a lot of sishnu when i was young and when i went back after a long time...daal ma matrai sishnu re?and oh yah nice thing about it..seems like they dun like it..tara just for me they made the sishnu daal!!WOOHOOO!!:oD.......

anyways dun stop blasting ur keyboard of urs ;o)...good day ;o) hehe..

Tejpat or Tejpatta or तेजपात or तामलपत्र or Indian Bay-leaf (Cinnamomum tamala [Buch.-Ham.] Nees et Eberm.)
तेजपात धेरैजसो मासुमा प्रयोग गरिन्छ
च्यवनप्रासमा पनि हालिन्छ।


Common name: Indian bay leaf
Nepali name: Dalchini, Tejpat
Latin name: Cinnamomum tamala
Family: Lauraceae

Description:
Dalchini is a medium size tree with leaves and bark that smell like cinnamon. It grows all along the Himalaya at elevations between 450 and 2,000 meters.

Medicinal value:
The leaves and bark are used to make astringents, stimulants, and carminatives. They are also used to rheumatism, colic, and diarrhea.

from http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/generic_frame.html?Cinn_tam.html

Synonyms
Cinnamomum tamala: Indian bay (malabathrum, malobathrum)
Indian bay leaves
bot Cinnamomum tejpata
Assamese Mahpat, Tej pat
Bengali Tejpata
Burmese Thitchabo
Danish Indisk Laurb?rblad
Esperanto Hinda cinamomo
Finnish Kanelilaakeri
French Laurier des Indes
German Indisches Lorbeerblatt
Gujarati Tamaal patra
Hindi Tejpat
Hungarian Indiai bab?rlev?l
Japanese タマラニッケイ, テジパット
Tamara-nikkei, Tezipatto
Kannada Patraka
Lithuanian Indinis cinamonas
Marathi तमाल पत्र
Tamal patra
Oriya Tejpatra
Punjabi Tejpatra
Russian Малабарская корица
Malabarskaya koritsa
Sanskrit Tejapatra
Tamil தாளிசபத்திரி
Talishapattiri
Telugu Patta akulu, Talisha
Thai อบเชยต้น
Ob choey tan
Used plant part
Leaves. The bark may be used as an inferior substitute of cinnamon or cassia.
Plant family
Lauraceae (laurel family).
Sensory quality
Strongly aromatic, somewhat reminiscent to cinnamon or cloves.
Main constituents
In the essential oil from the leaves, mostly monoterpenoides were found: Linalool (50%) is the major compound, whereas α-pinene, p-cymene, β-pinene and limonene range around 5 to 10% each. Phenylpropanoids appear only in traces: Newer work reports 1% cinnamic aldehyde and no eugenol, whereas older literature speaks of traces of both compounds.

Origin
South slopes of the Himalayas.

Etymology
The Sanskrit name tamalapattra [तमालपत्त्र] means ?dark leaf?, although that seems poorly motivated. Greek traders took that name to their own language, but falsely identified the Sanskrit word as a plural form with definite article, (ta) malabathra [(τὰ) μαλαβάθρα] for which they backformed a singular (to) malabathron [(τὸ) μαλαβάθρον]. This name was then taken by the Romans as malabathrum or malobathrum.

Many recent languages of Northern India have names for Indian bay-leaf that derive from that Sanskrit term, e.g., Marathi tamal patra [तमाल पत्र]. In Hindi and some related tongues, the spice is known as tejpatta [तेजपत्ता] ?pungent leaf?.
Selected Links

The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea Malabathrum (bibliomania.com) Sorting Cinnamomum names (www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au)

Cinnamomum tamala: Indian Bay leaf
Indian Bay leaf, flowering branch

www.pioneerherbs.com
Indian bay-leaves are the leaves of a tree closely related to cinnamon. The tough, three-veined leaves are very popular in Northern India, but are little known elsewhere ? at least, today. They were well known to the Romans under the name malobathrum (also spelt malabathrum) and used both for perfumery and in cooking; in recipes, they were often just referred to as folia ?leaves?, which some cookbook editions misrender as bay leaves. See also silphion for the flavours of ancient Rome. Indian bay leaves were still available during the middle ages and used for beer brewing till the 16.th century (see also gale), but later they fell victim to the multitude of new spices available, and were forgotten.

Today, Indian bay-leaves are a spice used almost exclusively in the kitchens of Northern India, especially in the famous Moghul cuisine that was developed at the Imperial courts in Delhi and Agra. In accordance with the origins of the Moghul dynasty, Moghul cooking contains elements derived from Arabic and Persian cooking. This culinary style aims at a complexity and perfection comparable to the architectonic beauty of the Taj Mahal, which was built in the same era.

In Moghul cooking style, much use is made of sweet and aromatic spices; besides Indian bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom are considered the most important spices for delicious rice dishes (biriyanis). Furthermore, Moghul cuisine is characterized by rather small chile usage (contrasting habits in the rest of India); cumin, which is a most popular spice all over India, is frequently substituted by a closely related, but culinarily different, plant known as black cumin (see there for a fuller account on moghul cuisine).

Indian bay leaves are found not only in biriyanis, but also in Moghul kormas, for which today the northern Indian city of Lucknow is famous. To make korma, meat (or occasionally vegetable) is slowly but for long time braised in a rich, fragrant sauce thickened with ground almonds; often, the cooking pots are sealed to avoid any loss of aroma. Indian bay-leaves also form part of the Northern Indian spice mixture garam masala (see cumin), which is almost the only time when they are used in ground form.

Since Indian bay leaves are hardly available in the West, most books encourage the use of laurel (the Mediterranean bay leaf) instead. Though acceptable, you should know that the taste is not the same, and also weaker. The best substitutes are cinnamon leaves or fresh cardamom leaves, but these are also not easy to come by. I prefer the South American boldo leaves: although their flavour is rather different, it is at least strong enough for the highly spiced Moghul foods. Easier and still satisfactory substitutes are a small piece of cinnamon bark or a dried allspice berry.

* Table of Contents
* Alphabetical Index (index by names)
* Botanical Index (index by plant families)
* Geographical Index (index by country of origin)
* Morphological Index (index by plant part)
* Spice Mixture Index
* German version of this text
* Back to my home page

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Neupane jee, Is tejpat ( by-leaf) is the the leaf of cinnamon ??? I heard it is but I am not sure about it??

डल्लि एउटै हो तेजपात र सिनिमुन पात । हाम्री आमाले त तेजपत्ता भनेरे सिकाकिथिन केरे ?
यो अम्रिका भन्ने ठाममा चै सिनिमुन पात भन्दा रैचन ।

Nepalean, thank you for the clearification. Appriciate it a lot!!!

Neupane,
How about Iskus or squash as called in the us? thanks.