Wild fiddlehead ferns stir-fried with garlic and mustard oil — the most prized seasonal wild vegetable of Himachal Pradesh collected from the mountain forests each spring.
Ingredients
400g lingdu (Diplazium esculentum — Himalayan wild fiddlehead fern; available April to June at Himachali markets; substitute with cultivated fiddlehead ferns or asparagus)
4 garlic cloves — thinly sliced
2 green chillies — slit
2 tbsp mustard oil
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice to finish
Method
Wash lingdu thoroughly in cold running water — the young coiled fronds often carry forest debris. Trim any dry or tough ends.
Blanch in boiling salted water for 3 minutes.
Drain. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking. Drain completely.
Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil to smoking in a wide pan. Reduce to medium-high.
Add thinly sliced garlic — fry 1 minute until golden.
Add slit green chillies. Stir 20 seconds.
Add blanched lingdu. Add turmeric. Toss on high heat for 5 to 6 minutes until cooked through and any remaining moisture evaporates.
The ferns should be tender but retain a pleasant firmness.