Botanical Insights: Explore the allure of the butterfly pea flower:
Description: The butterfly pea flower, an evergreen perennial deciduous vine, stands out for its striking blue blossoms. While all aerial parts are edible and find their way into various Asian dishes, the dried flowers take center stage. Crafted into herbal tea, known as anchan or blue tea, these flowers offer a delightful beverage enjoyed both hot and cold. In Thailand, a vibrant purple lemonade called nam dok anchan is created by infusing the flowers with lemon juice and sugar. They also find their place in coloring rice dishes and traditional cakes, including the revered Khanom dok anchan dessert.
Beyond culinary uses, the butterfly pea flower adds a touch of enchantment to cocktails and mocktails. The captivating hue undergoes transformations influenced by acidity, with lemon or lime juice yielding a purple shade, while other botanicals like hibiscus create a rich dark red.
Common Names & Nomenclature: Known by a variety of names, the butterfly pea flower goes by Asian pigeonwings, blue ternate flower, Aprajita, bluebell vine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea, Darwin pea, mussel shell creeper, and Bunga Telang.
Also known as: Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea, and Darwin pea.