Italian millet. Could you send details (and a picture) to queries@whatamieating.com if you know more?
Sumac. The dried fruits of this plant are very sour. They are ground into a reddish-purple powder which is used in savoury cooking in the same way as aam chur (mango powder).
Teasle gourd or spiny bitter gourd. This is a small egg-shaped vegetable, highly prized on the Indian subcontinent. It is prickly and green to yellow in colour, and having a long stem. It is not commonly available, and only during the rainy months. There is a wild variety, Momordica cochinchinensis, which is usually red in colour. The vegetable is rich in calcium, phosphorus, iron and carotene. They are either fried or included in fish or meat stews or served mashed with green chillis and mustard oil.
Lotus root. The long fleshy root of the lotus. It has a reddish-brown skin around crisp white flesh, and should be peeled before use. It tastes a little like coconut.
Cassava. Manioc. Yuca. Fleshy, starchy tubers with tough brown skin and crisp white flesh, originally from Brazil but now widely cultivated. There are two types, sweet and bitter. Avoid the bitter one. Throughout the Amazon basin there are 26 varieties, each thriving under different conditions. The process of making it into flour or tapioca removes the toxins.
