Waterblommetjies (Aponogeton distachyos)
you need is a pond or dam with
unpolluted water. If you start
them in pots submerged in water,
you’ll often find that they sow
themselves very nicely so that
there are more tasty flowers every
year.
Have you ever wondered what the
staple source of starch was before
all the exotic food plants were
brought to Africa? If you’re thinking it was probably flower bulbs,
you’ve hit the nail on the head.
The lovely Watsonias that flower in
the late spring can be roasted and
eaten. Of course, you’ll only be
doing that if you’ve got too many
in your garden! Dig them up when
they’re dormant, roast them in the
oven and serve them up with
goat’s cheese.
Of course, there are lots of plants
with edible leaves that can be used
as spinach. The dune spinach
Sour fig (Carpobrotis)
(Tetragonia sp) is much nicer than
ordinary Swiss Chard and each
area has its own favourite spinach
substitute.
Our folklore is full of interesting
tips and tricks that you can try and
of course, there are many other
edible indigenous plants ranging
from the delicious stamvrug to the
familiar sour fig (Carpobrotis spp).
Exploring the world of plants can
definitely spice up your culinary
repertoire!
Tetragonia