Butterfly pea

Clitoria ternatea

flower · infusion

Bright blue flowers steeped for a tea that turns purple with a squeeze of lemon, and that color nasi kerabu rice.

Origin

Southeast Asia

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

Five to ten dried flowers per cup, five minutes in hot water; for rice, this blue water is used to cook it. The fresh flowers are also eaten, as fritters or in salads.

Molecules

Anthocyanins

Did you know?

The blue changes with acidity: it is a pH indicator you can drink.