A Bouquet in Your Plate!

The concept of edible flowers in food preparation has been embraced wonderfully by our chefs though our traditional kitchens have been using several flowers in grandmothers’ recipes in Indian households.

- Sharmila Chand

Be it roses or jasmine (mogra), banana, cucumber and pumpkin flowers, regional Indian cuisine has had dishes like fritters, since ages. Don’t we have our very own gulkand made of rose petals since time immemorial?

Today the story of edible flowers has taken an interesting turn as chefs like to give their own twist in the preparation of their dishes. Here they share how edible flowers impart an extra dimension to a dish with their delicacy, colours, texture and unique flavours. 

Favourite Choice - The Essence of Edible Flowers in Cuisine

Chef Rajesh Wadhwa, Executive Chef, Taj Palace, New Delhi

Flowers have been a part of many regional cuisines in India and have also been a part of certain European culinary repertoires. Zucchini flowers, Banana Blossoms, Moringa flowers, Onion flowers, Butterfly Pea flowers, Lavender blossoms, Rose blossoms and many more such varietals have extensively been used in cooking.

With food becoming more of a sensorial experience and with greater emphasis on well-designed plates and Instagram-worthy dishes, edible flowers have become hugely popular as not just ingredients, but also as embellishments to create that ‘perfect plate’.

At Taj Palace, New Delhi, we use a lot of edible flowers such as lavender, petals of Chrysanthemum etc as garnishes and embellishments in Orient Express, our legendary European restaurant, and also for high-end sit-down luncheons and dinners which feature luxurious tailor-made menus. Edible flowers are easily available nowadays from home grown suppliers who provide fresh, seasonal produce.”