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Agheda / Achira /आघेडा / अचिरा / Chaff Flower / Devil’s Horsewhip / Achyranthes aspera L.

Local Name: Agheda / Achira / आघेडा / अचिरा

Common Name: Chaff Flower / Devil’s Horsewhip

Botanical Name: Achyranthes aspera L.

Status & Habitat

Habitat: Herb

Occurrence: Open Fields, Roadside and Embankment

Season of Availability: July - October

Geography: Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas

Method of Propagation: Seed propagation

Part used for Propagation: Seeds

Edible Parts

Edible Parts: Tender Leaves & Stem

Can be Eaten Raw: Yes

Method of Consumption

Raw: Yes

Ripe: Yes

Both Raw & Ripe: Yes

Dangerous Form to Consume: N/A

As Food: The entire tender plant along with the roots are uprooted and the tender stems and leaves are cooked.

As Medicine: Treats cold, spleen, eye, and skin diseases. Its seeds are consumed during scarcity to alleviate hunger, and its thin roots are used for tooth cleaning.

Cooking Method: - Tender leaves and stems are plucked from the plant, washed and sauteed with onions and chillies.
- This vegetable is supposed to be had in limited quantities as
it is highly medicinal.

Preservation / Curing Technique: N/A

Does Require Another Plants to be cooked together: No

Souring Agents Required: No

Nutritional & Medicinal Benefits

Nutritional Benefit: Contains protein.

Medicinal Benefit: Helps treat cold, eye disease, spleen disease, skin disease; acts as a famine food; helps clean teeth.

Tribal Wisdom

Tribal Wisdom: - Tribals use it as a medicine for many diseases like cold, spleen diseases, eye diseases and skin disease.
- Agheda does not need a lot of water and its seeds are used as a famine food
since after eating them, one dos not feel hungry very soon.
- The slender roots of this plant is used to clean teeth.
- Agheda is a wild variety of Amaranth.

Recipes

Tribal Recipe: - Remove the ends of the Agheda plant.
- Wash the tender stems and leaves thoroughly and squeeze excess water.
- Heat oil and sautee onions and chillies. Add Agheda stems and leaves
and cover and cook till greens are wilted and soft.