Solitude Farm

Author: Sagar

  • Dried Aparjita flower

    Dried Aparjita flower

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    Sagar
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    There is real hype around the blue butterfly pea flowers. They can be found in restaurants, bars, terrace gardens, and especially on social media. Like any crop, there is a time were the plant yields many flowers. A great way to store these flowers is to dry them. At solitude farm, we harvest and dry…

  • Harvesting Cucumber seeds

    Harvesting Cucumber seeds

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    Sagar
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    Saving seeds is the pre-curser, to a whole civilisation. There are many steps, that must be followed to successfully save seeds. Most importantly, the vegetable should be fully ripe, this means not harvesting every last vegetable but selecting a few of the best-looking ones for seeds. The seeds should be removed and, in most cases,…

  • Broom

    Broom

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    Sagar
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    While grazing goats and cattle, Tamil ladies will often harvest a certain type of long grass used to make brooms. This grass is very hard and when bundled up makes an excellent broom. The grass is dried and then lightly beaten with a stick to remove the poky seeds. The stems are then bound together…

  • Plantain flour

    Plantain flour

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    Plantain is an amazing food source. At Solitude, especially in the summer when it is really hot, and we have a glut of plantain, we make flour. Plantain is a great wheat substitute if you want to go gluten-free. This is truly something that anyone can do! First, peel the plantains. Slice them into thin…

  • DRIED HIBISCUS FLOWERS

    DRIED HIBISCUS FLOWERS

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    Sagar
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    I feel quite shocked when I go around Auroville and see people are not harvesting the hibiscus flowers. This beautiful flower is full of antioxidants, helps in vitamin C uptake, lowers the risk of heart diseases, lowers blood pressure, and is even an antidepressant. Simply harvest the flowers, remove the stamen, and make a herbal…

  • Tamarind rice

    Tamarind rice

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    Sagar
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    Wanna travel the world and worried about food. Wooaahhh, we have tamarind rice for the rescue. Tamarind rice is a common travel time food of south India, which can last for a couple of days, as tamarind acts as a natural preservative. Soak tamarind and make it as a paste using your hand. Heat oil,…

  • Varagu Millet Rice

    Varagu Millet Rice

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    Varagu, or Kodo millet, is a dry land crop domesticated in India about 3000 years ago. This rain feed crop is very hardy and can survive on marginal soils. It is an excellent rice substitute but can also be made into flour. Varagu is an excellent source of fiber and contains high amounts of antioxidant…

  • Manathakkali berries

    Manathakkali berries

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    Manathakkali berries or black night shade berriesManathakkali is synonymous with Tamil culture. While the leaves are used to make a delicious curry, the small black berries are delicious thrown in a salad or eaten just like that. The green berries are toxic raw, but can be cooked in a tamarind based gravy. The ripped manathakkali…

  • Thali

    Thali

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    Sagar
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    Solitude farm cafe, boasts some of the best food in South India. The reason being that the food is fresh, extremely diverse, and grown in a way that gives a unique taste. This snapshot of seasonal delights changes day to day throughout the seasons. It is the healthiest, tastiest, and most eco friendly way to…

  • Rice patties

    Rice patties

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    Sagar
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    What do you do with left over rice? Add some grenn chillies, ragi flour, sauteed onions, and drumstick spinach, and you can even add some soaked dal. Add all of these ingredients to the left over rice,in Solitude farm cafe, we use red rice, but brown or white will also work. This type of patty…