Table 1 Commonly grown plants in Bengali gardens in London In general these are varieties which are derived from the species listed and sometimes crossbred with other spp.)
From: Food, home and health: the meanings of food amongst Bengali Women in London
Scientific name | Bengali name | Purpose of plant | Additional information |
|---|---|---|---|
Allium cepa L. (Amaryllidaceae) | Piyaj | The bulbs are an essential part of Bengali cooking. | Frequently grown in the UK and readily available to buy. |
Allium sativum L. (Amaryllidaceae) | Roshun | The bulbs are an essential part of Bengali cooking. They are also taken medicinally (for general health, the heart, hypertension, stomach upsets and sore throat). | Frequently grown in the UK and readily available to buy. |
Amaranthus acanthobracteatus Henr. (Amaranthaceae) | Lal shak | The leaves are eaten as a vegetable with rice. It is considered very healthy as “it contains many vitamins, particularly vitamin A”. | It is considered a “Bengali” plant. It is grown frequently in the UK and seeds are transported from Bangladesh. |
Amaranthus blitum subsp. oleraceus (L.) Costea (Amaranthaceae) | Danta shak | The leaves are eaten as a vegetable. It is considered good for general health as it is often eaten fresh and contains many vitamins. | Fruits are transported from Bangladesh and it is grown frequently in the UK. |
Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f. (Asparagaceae) | Gritikumari | Consumed as a drink for health benefits and medicinally (general health, skin, constipation etc.) | The plant is grown inside the home and can be bought in the UK. It is also common to Bangladesh. |
It is also applied topically medicinally for eczema and burns. | |||
Basella alba L. (Basellaceae) | Pui shak | The leaves are eaten as a vegetable. It is considered good for general health as it is often eaten fresh and contains many vitamins. | It is frequently grown in the UK and seeds are often brought from Bangladesh. |
Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn. (Cucurbitaceae) | Chal kumra, kodu | The fruit and leaves are eaten as a vegetable. | It is frequently grown in the UK |
Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. (Brassicaceae) | Sherash | The oil is very popular for cooking. The fresh leaves are used in cooking. | Occasionally grown in the UK. |
Capsicum annuum L. (Solanaceae) | Shukna morich, lal morich, kacha morich | A range of chillies are grown and added to different food. | Seeds are often transported from Bangladesh and the plant is frequently grown in the UK . |
Capsicum chinense Jacq. (Solanaceae) | Naga morich | This is one of the most popular chillies. | Seeds are transported from Bangladesh and it is gown in the UK. It is particularly associated with Sylhet. |
Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott (Araceae) | Kochu | The leaves, stems and rhizomes are all eaten in food. Medicinally it is taken in food to promote blood circulation and to treat rashes and other skin conditions. | The plant is occasionally grown in gardens. |
It is considered a “Bengali” plant. | |||
Corchorus olitorius L. (Malvaceae) | Nali shak, pak shak | The leaves are consumed as a vegetable, it is considered good for general health. | Seeds are frequently sent from Bangladesh and it is considered a“Bengali”vegetable. |
Coriandrum sativum L. (Apiaceae) | Dhonya | The leaves, stalks and seeds are eaten in food. It is very common in Bengal cooking and is also consumed to promote general health and digestion. | The plant and fruits are common in the UK. |
Cucurbita pepo L. (Cucurbitaceae) | Chinese khodu | The fruit, leaves and flowers are eaten in food. As a fresh food it is considered healthy. | Literally translated it is “Chinese pumpkin”. |
Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (Cucurbitaceae) | Mishti kumra | The fruit is eaten as food. As a fresh food it is considered healthy. | It is frequently grown in the UK. |
Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet. (Leguminosae) | Sheem, uri | The fruit and seeds are often added to curries. They are grown frequently in the UK and valued for their good health. | The seeds are often transported from Bangladesh. |
Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. (Cucurbitaceae) | Lou | The fruit and leaves are eaten as food. As a fresh food it is considered healthy. | It is frequently grown in the UK. |
Raphanus raphanistrum subs. sativus (L.) Domin (Brassicaceae) | Mullah | The secondary hypocotyl-root and bulb are eaten in salads and the leaves and stems cooked as a vegetable; as fresh produce it is considered healthy. | It is frequently grown in the UK. |
Solanum lycopersicum L. (Solanaceae) | Tomato | The fruit is very common in Bengali food. | It is frequently grown and the seeds bought to the UK. |
Spinacia oleracea L. (Amaranthaceae) | Palong shak | The leaves are consumed as a vegetable, it is considered good for general health. | It is frequently grown in the UK. |
Trichosanthes cucumerina L. (Cucurbitaceae) | Chichinga | The fruit and the leaves are eaten as a vegetable. As a fresh vegetable they are valued for their good health. | It is frequently grown in the UK and seeds are transported from Bangladesh |
Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp (Leguminosae) | Barbati | The fruit and seeds are often added to curries. As a fresh vegetable they are valued for their good health. | It is frequently grown in the UK and seeds are transported from Bangladesh. |