Halinda / हळींदा / Wild Cowpea / Vigna vexillata (L.)

OOO Farms Wild Food Halinda

Other Names

  • Local Name: Halinda / हळींदा
  • Common Name: Wild Cowpea
  • Botanical Name: Vigna vexillata (L.)

Status & Habitat

  • Habitat: Climber
  • Occurrence: Grassland; abandoned cultivations; near beach behind dunes; secondary formations; meadows; sunny places; grassy inundated plain
  • Season of Availability: August-October
  • Geography: Pantropical
  • Method of Propagation: Roots
  • Part used for Propagation: Roots

Edible Parts

  • Edible Parts: Tuber
  • Can be Eaten Raw: No

Method of Consumption

  • Raw: No
  • Ripe: No
  • Both Raw & Ripe: No
  • Dangerous Form to Consume: Raw plant
  • As Food: Beans may be eaten; seeds used as a pulse; tubers eaten cooked or boiled.
  • As Medicine: Eating it helps regulate cardiac muscle activity and inflammatory markers.
  • Cooking Without Prior Boiling: N/A
  • Boiling Before Cooking: Yes
  • Pickling: N/A
  • Brining: N/A
  • Fermenting: N/A
  • Drying for later Consumption: N/A
  • Overall Method: Seeds are used as a pulse; tubers are boiled or roasted or fried (like a potato)

Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits

  • Nutritional Benefit: High protein content.
  • Medicinal Benefit: Regulates cardiac muscle function and lowers inflammatory markers.

Tribal Wisdom

  • Tribal Wisdom: Seeds used as a pulse; tubers eaten cooked.

Recipes / Usage

  • Tribal Recipe / Usage: Tubers can replace potatoes in recipes.

Image Gallery

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