According to studies by Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, social media often influences the food we eat.
If you have an Instagram or TikTok account, the chances are you’ve seen photos or videos of popular and vibrant butterfly pea flower creations with their dramatic blue hues.
These beautiful flowers produce a remarkably vibrant shade of blue that can be infused into foods to add color naturally.
The variety of foods infused with butterfly pea flowers grows daily, from tea to pudding. Butterfly pea flowers are not new to local cuisines.
One popular butterfly pea flower-infused food, blue rice, has been a part of Asian cooking for a long time.
Butterfly pea flower’s benefits and dramatic beauty have made it a popular and trending ingredient for food blogs and Instagram accounts. Blue rice is another way to enjoy the beauty of butterfly pea flowers.
What Is Blue Rice?
While vibrant blue-colored rice has been a recent trend on Instagram and TikTok, it has a long and storied history. You may have seen the butterfly pea flower used in cocktails and tea.
But in Asian cuisine, its culinary benefits certainly outweigh its aesthetic appeal. Blue rice is a major component of a dish popular in Thailand and Malaysia, known as nasi kerabu.
This dish also features an herb salad, a coconut and fish relish, and other spicy condiments and sauces.
Not only is this colorful rice beautiful, but it also tastes fantastic. It has been said to add a fresh and aromatic quality to the rice. The dramatic blue color of blue rice may look like an artificial dye created it.
Still, it is traditionally and naturally made by cooking rice with butterfly pea flowers.
Benefits Of Butterfly Pea
Are you having trouble with low energy or brainpower? Commonly used in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, Butter Peas are known to help.
Some of the most highly noted healing properties include boosting memory, reducing high blood pressure, anti-anxiety, anti-stress, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-asthmatic, and even insecticidal.
However, you can also use Butterfly pea for various treatments such as pink eye, itchy skin, brainpower, and anti-aging. Due to their anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory compounds, butterfly peas can cure common eye infections and improve eyesight.
Not to mention, it eases itchy skin conditions as the flower contains natural anesthetic and anti-itching properties. When combined with salt, the leaves may also work as a holistic remedy for swelling.
Notice your skin losing natural collagen despite your healthy diet? Based on Thai medicinal traditions, butterfly pea is commonly used in treating premature graying and male pattern baldness.
As Anthocyanin is a key ingredient in Butterfly peas, it is said to increase blood flow in the scalp and strengthen hair follicles.
When consumed, the acetylcholine found in butterfly peas also helps to facilitate communication with the brain and prevents messages from traveling slower, breaking down, or stopping altogether.
It also helps to improve one’s cognitive thinking and natural balance.
How To Make Blue Rice?
When you make blue rice, you must use jasmine rice, as this is the style of rice traditionally used. Make your rice as usual, but boil the jasmine rice and a few butterfly pea flowers in the water.
You can also make blue rice the same way in your rice cooker. The best rice cooker is one with induction heating, which will give you greater control over your rice. You should use six to seven butterfly pea flowers for one cup of rice.
Blue rice can go with various dishes, especially all kinds of curries. Due to its natural fragrance, mild flavors will work best without overpowering the dish.
You can add more flavors, like whole spices or lemongrass, to the rice while cooking to make it even more aromatic and delicious.
Blue rice is best with Asian-style dishes and curries. Popular choices include a Thai coconut curry or a stir-fried chicken dish.
You can also use blue rice to make a delicious stir-fried dish by parboiling the rice with the butterfly pea flowers and then frying it with vegetables and a protein of your choice.
There are so many ways to enjoy the beauty and flavor of blue rice and when you do, make sure you join the trend and post photos of your tasty dish.
Taste Of Blue Rice
Blue rice has a very distinct flavor with a fragrance that is so inviting. It is quite unique when you eat it, and it radiates a soft taste and blanch.
The flower’s fragrance would be present in the rice, which will mix with all kinds of gravies and stews. It can also be molded into different varieties with different tempering agents.
Many dessert varieties like panna cotta or blue rice cakes can also be made with the help of butterfly peas. The flower is so apt for any kind of recipe, not just to give the color but also a taste that is so riveting.
How To Grow Butterfly Pea Flowers Which Are Used For Blue Rice?
A butterfly pea is a tropical flower that grows only in a cooler climate. It is germinated from the seed, and the plant is propagated everywhere without any issues.
The seed imbibes water very well and sprouts up into a blossoming flower quickly. If the seed has to be planted, it has to be soaked in the water overnight.
These plants do not tolerate a frosty climate or extreme warmth. Any place that records a temperature over 86 degrees F will not be conducive for the seed to blossom into a plant.
It can be a home-grown flower with proper care and thus can be used in your daily diet.
Culinary Uses Of Butterfly Pea Flower
The deep blue flower is used for blue rice and in many southeast Asian cuisines. It is typically used as a dye in many food items. Thai cuisines have extensive leverage to be battered in tempura and fried items.
It is also used as an ingredient to make flavorful teas with a hint of lemongrass that dominates the flavor.
Conclusion
Blue is an attractive color that brightens up and illuminates your eyes. It becomes so inviting and tempting if it is displayed on a food platter.
Blue rice has been regarded as the healthiest food item and has a reputation for being the tastiest meal that many fancy ingredients can accompany.
This article would be a great guide in getting to know the blue food item and how it helps us in many ways.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to grow butterfly pea flowers which are used for blue rice?
A butterfly pea is a tropical flower that grows only in a cooler climate. It is germinated from the seed, and the plant is propagated everywhere without any issues. The seed imbibes water very well and sprouts up into a blossoming flower quickly. If the seed has to be planted, it has to be soaked in the water overnight.
How does blue rice taste?
Blue rice has a very distinct flavor with a fragrance that is so inviting. It is quite unique when you eat it, and it radiates a soft taste and blanch. The flower’s fragrance would be present in the rice, which will mix with all kinds of gravies and stews. It can also be molded into different varieties with different tempering agents.
What are the culinary uses of butterfly pea flower?
The deep blue flower is used for blue rice and in many southeast Asian cuisines. It is typically used as a dye in many food items. Thai cuisines have extensive leverage to be battered in tempura and fried items. It is also used as an ingredient to make flavorful teas with a hint of lemongrass that dominates the flavor.
How to make blue rice?
When you make blue rice, you must use jasmine rice, as this is the style of rice traditionally used. Make your rice as usual, but boil the jasmine rice and a few butterfly pea flowers in the water.
