Thursday, October 3, 2013

Wangpem or Pem of Wang!




The unusual Wangpem
This time around, the local vegetables are in short supply and Zhemgang is a place where veggies are scarce unless one maintains a kitchen garden. Amidst the scarcity, I have come to enjoy all that we get locally even the wild ones. On a usual weekday, I was hunting for veggies around shops and then I met Uncle Bajay. I could only find some pepper and tomatoes. He introduced me to what people locally call it “Wangpem” as if Pem from Wang. I have tasted this before once with Lopen Kinzang at school but never been curious then. He tells me this particular plant belongs to the family of orchids. It can be eaten as a vegetable. I wanted him to make Wangpem as our weekend delicacy, to which he agreed. 
Wangpem in the wild

Wangpem is found in Zhemgang in the wild and the edible part of the plant shoots out from its roots. Pretty scary! And this strange looking part must be plucked and cooked. Then, some days later he told me to take pictures of the Plants which he has abundantly put around his house, supposedly for knowing that I do write about usual and unusual things and happenings. 

I took some pictures and agreed to pluck some for dinner. He assured me that he will cook along with some porcupine meat. This could be my second instance where I may get to eat porcupine meat. I thought it’s better to eat the meat thinking of people eating all sorts of bugs and tarantulas in National Geographic programs. 

Wangpem with Porcupine meat
But before we made it into a meal, we did some scientific research. Mr.DB Gurungs book on the Orchids mentions of no such orchid and together we sought refuge in the internet. It too turned out fruitless. If you readers have any idea, then do let me know and accordingly I will inform my friend. We made a contact to the Department of forestry in College of Natural Resources and we weren’t responded either. So this is unusual and may be this particular plant is waiting to be discovered. 

Whether I call this ‘Wangpem’ or ‘Pem of Wang’, it certainly was an experience tasting this unusual fruit of the plant. However, when tasted, it’s somewhat bitter! So, next time you see this unusual plant in Sunday market, just say, “Tshonpoen! Ani dhi Wangpem ina?” And be assured that it’s perfectly edible, if not I wouldn’t be alive to write this update in my blog…LOL!

Good day ahead!

12 comments:

  1. It is also called Wangpem in sharchokha, and it is also common in my village (lauri, SamdrupJongkhar Dzongkhag) in the jungle. I still remember its taste. but i have't seen it in the vegetable market though
    till now.

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    1. Great that you are familiar with this thing but the botanist have no mention of this plant. I wonder whether this plant is an orchid or not. Some suggested that, it's also called Tormongla in Sharchopkha. I have seen here in Zhemgang!

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    3. Great thanks, I will now do some soul searching on this.....

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    4. I got two possible names i.e. Tupistra nutans and T. watti. It would better if the leaves are visible clearly. Anyways we got to know the genus. :)

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    5. Thanks Choki Gyeltshen, Tupistra nutans is right....thanks for the name!

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  2. Hi Lobzang - good to know this from you. I am not familiar with this one - sorry. But maybe if I go back home in the woods, I might find some. I don't know what it is called in my village - for I have not come across this Pem. I will ask my cousin who knows a great deal about plants. Nice. Thanks for the information.

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    1. Ha ha, The Comment I got from Choki Gyeltshen's Calanthe plantaginea is not the the one!

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    2. Yes, its cannot true as I mentioned it as 'probably'. But the good news is that it's called Tupistra sp. Now I think I am right :). I saw this plant last week in Darla and had it examined and it turned out to be Tupistra sp. Sometimes Its easier to identify with the real specimens rather than still pictures. Now I need to confirm its species. Thanks for sharing, learned some lessons here.

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  3. Yes Sir, its true that we don't get enough vegetables here. i am tired of eating potatoes..i will make sure i buy Wangpem or Pem of Wang and try it....Interesting.....

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  4. The genus is Tupistra and the species could be nutans. RNR-RDC Darla has a domestication trail since 2006. The flowers are consumed as a vegetable and also considered to have some medicinal properties. The seeds can be eaten raw too. It has a bitter taste so you either love it or hate it. In the wild it is found only on steep slopes that are inaccessible from cattle. Thus the domestication trails in RNR-RDC to conserve it and also promote it as a additional source of income for the farmers.

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