Ulshi / Chai Vel / उळशी / Five Leaf Yam / Dioscorea pentaphylla Var. Pentaphylla

Other Names

Status & Habitat

Raw: No
Ripe: N/A
Both Raw & Ripe: N/A
Dangerous Form to Consume: Raw tuber
As Food: Ulshi Mohar is cooked as a vegetable. Tubers are also used as vegetables
As Medicine: N/A
Cooking Without Prior Boiling: No
Boiling Before Cooking: Yes
Pickling: N/A
Brining: N/A
Fermenting: N/A
Drying for later Consumption: N/A
Overall Method: Tubers can be eaten when boiled. Typically eaten with salt, pepper and other spices.

Nutritional Benefit: Rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Medicinal Benefit: Used to treat swelling, is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal

Tribal Wisdom: Whole plant juice is used to treat boils and colds; tuber and leaves can be used to treat disorders; apply tuber paste onto cuts, wounds, and legions to heal them

Tribal Recipe / Usage: In Odisha, communities typically leave tubers in running water overnight then boil them. They then eat them as-is or use them as a vegetable for curries.