Food is not the first thing that comes to mind when one sees an amaltas tree in full bloom. In Delhi, the bright yellow flowers appear between May and July, adding colour to the city’s landscape along with the red gulmohar, orange flame of forest (palash) and pink mountain ebony (kachnar).

With open flowers on the top and buds at the bottom, arranged like a chandelier, the inflorescence of amaltas looks so delicate that one wonders how it thrives in Delhi’s heat — especially the kind seen this summer.

The fact is that amaltas, also known as the golden shower or Cassia fistula, is native to the Indian subcontinent and has adapted to the wide range of weather conditions across the country. It grows in the sub-Himalyan and outer Himalyan regions, and is common across the Gangetic plains, central Deccan and southern states.

It is known as chahui in Manipuri, sonali in Bengali, garmalo in Gujarati, bahava in Marathi and konrai in Tamil.

In Kerala, the flower blooms as early as April, as if to coincide with the celebration of the Malayali new year Vishu. As part of a ritual on the day, people place the tender flowers, known as kanikkonna in the state, in a brass bowl along with gold coins, grains, fruits, a piece of cloth and a mirror to offer to Lord Krishna. It is believed that viewing the plate of offerings first thing in the morning on Vishu is auspicious. Even those who cannot find fresh amaltas flowers for Vishu make sure to set aside some dried ones to use during the day.

In several other states, amaltas is traditionally valued as food. Tribal communities in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh consume the petals, which are slightly sour in taste, to make chutney or sabji (recipes below). Though there is a dearth of literature on their food value, some research studies highlight the medicinal properties of amaltas flowers.

A study published in the journal Chemosphere in January 2022 highlighted the wound healing properties of amaltas flowers. The study shows that a methanol extract from the flowers has antimicrobial activity, specifically against bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and fungus Aspergillus niger. The antimicrobial properties of the plant could be used to develop an improved medicine to heal wounds, it observed.

Another March 2022 study published in the journal African Health Sciences found that tea made from amaltas flowers is good for conditions like diabetes. Iron oxide nanoparticles produced using the flower tea show a powerful antihyperglycemic mechanism. These nanoparticles also possess antioxidant activity and free radical scavenging properties, according to the study.

The flowers also have industrial applications. A study published in Current Drug Delivery in August 2022 showed that chemicals from the flowers can be encapsulated in a matrix which can be used to deliver drugs in a controlled manner. Further, the flowers have a role in animal health, as demonstrated in a study published in Experimental and Applied Acarology in July 2024 on ticks infesting buffaloes in Haryana. The study showed that the ethanolic extracts of the bark, pod pulp and flowers of amaltas were effective against tick larvae and were found to lead to a reduction in the tick population.

Compared to the flowers, there is more information on the use of the pulp of amaltas pods in traditional medicine. The long and cylindrical pods turn woody and brown as they slowly mature, with the seeds arranged in horizontal compartments along the length. A mature amaltas pod falls from the tree but does not break — children often use it as a natural rattle, shaking it to hear the seeds inside. In Ayurveda, consumption of the pod is used as a gentle laxative. It is also considered effective in treating skin diseases such as scabies, boils and glandular swellings.

According to a study published in the journal Plant Foods for Human Nutrition in 1995, amaltas is also a source of micro- and macronutrients (potassium, calcium, iron and manganese), amino acids aspartic acid, glutamic acid and lysine, and energy (18 kilojoules per gram).

Though it grows wild in forests, it is also a popular avenue tree due to its beauty. As a legume, the tree helps fix atmospheric nitrogen and improve soil fertility wherever it is planted.

Amaltas and the recipes made with it do not just add a pretty, yellow pop to the plate, but are also tasty and healthy enough to include in the food menu at least during the summer.

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