Dried Butterfly Pea Flower ดอกอัญชัน (Clitoria ternatea)
*natural food colorant - deep blue
*antioxidant-rich herbal beverage
Butterfly Pea is a vine that is indigenous to Southeast Asia, and grows in abundance in Northern Thailand. Its flowers are revered for their natural, deep blue pigment, and are used as a natural coloring agent in a variety of Thai and Malay dishes. Butterfly Pea flowers are most often used to colour rice, as in the popular Khao Yum (ข้าวยำ), or the Malaysian Nasi Kerabu. It is also commonly used to add colouring to desserts such as the Thai Khanom Dok Anchan (ขนมดอกอัญชัน), or to make a caffeine-free herbal tea; Nam Dok Anchan (น้ำดอกอัญชัน).
As is the case with most naturally derived deep colour pigments (i.e. blueberry, blackberry, black rice, etc.), Butterfly Pea flowers are valued as an abundant source of anthocyanin antioxidant, and its detoxifying properties.
Dried Butterfly Pea can be found in both powder or whole flower form. Blue Nun’s dried whole flowers are sourced from small producers in the provinces of Phrae & Nan, Northern Thailand.
