Okra or Bhindi is one of our favourite vegetables. We often find its presence in almost every household. And we are pretty sure that all of us grew up eating lots of bhindi to get the math right or to improve our memory power.
Okra is usually green in colour or at least all our lives, we believed it to be. But, did you know that there is a certain breed of Okra which is Red in colour? This quintessential vegetable is also grown in India in red colour known as the Kashi Lalima, popularly known as the Red Bhindi.
How did it come to existence?
Agricultural scientists in India have strived for almost 23 years to develop a new variety of Bhindi. Scientists from the Indian Institute Of Vegetable Research (IIVR), Lucknow are responsible for this success.
Importance Of Kashi Lalima
Kashi Lalima is proved to be a great achievement in the field of agriculture. Studies imply that this red colour okra is a powerhouse of nutrients and minerals. They are loaded with vitamins, iron, calcium and potassium. They are also rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances making them great for the immunity system. Known to boost the metabolism of the body, the healthy benefits of this vegetable are vast and varied.
The Indian agricultural sector was not exposed to the Red bhindi before. We imported them from the western countries making it extremely pricey for the middle-class sector. Though it is pricier than the regular okra, it still won’t burn your pockets. The efforts to grow this vegetable started long back in 1995 and thanks to the scientists, Indian farmers will now be able to grow this delicious and supremely healthy vegetable on the Indian soil.
