Peruk

Peruk (Centella asiatica) – known as asiatic/indian pennywort – is a herb with small green leaves and creeping stems. It is known to have medicinal properties – it aids in healing wounds, re-vitalizes brain and nervous system, increases attention span and concentration and combats aging (source: wikipedia).

In Manipuri cuisine, peruk is used in peruk champhut (boiled in plain water with other vegetables like cucumber, beans or cabbage and a touch of sugar) and peruk kangshu (boiled peruk, squeezed dry to remove some of the bitterness and mashed with boiled yellow peas, fermented fish, red chillies and salt). Khamba, the hero of the famous Manipuri folklore Khamba Thoibi is said to have been fed on peruk by his poor sister (maybe that accounted for his legendary strength, wit and beauty!).  As kids, we were cajoled to eat peruk to sharpen our brains -well, it seems to have worked, at least to some extent!

It is called Thankuni in Bengali. My sister and i always get amused by the way it is sold in Calcutta – 10 or so leaves tied neatly in a bundle because in Manipur, it is the whole plant that is sold, gangly stems, roots and all. In Indonesian, Thai, Veitnamese and Malay cuisine, the leaf is used in salad.

Kalendri (Scarlet runner bean)

Kalendri

Hawai kalendri (Phaseolus lunatus) – known as speckled butter beans in english – is a stringless bean with flat pods and seeds that are multicoloured. There is also a variety with seeds a beautiful light pink colour. Since the pods are fibrous, only the seeds are eaten.

In Manipur cuisine, kalendri is often cooked with pea shoots and fish. It is added to chagem pomba. i even add it sometimes to eromba. It can also be cooked as a curry just like rajma though i not sure whether anybody cooks it that way in Manipur.