Cresson de Para jaune Bio - Bredy Mafana - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds

The Yellow Para Cress Bredy Mafana is a plant famous for its use in the Malagasy dish "Romazava". The stems lie along the ground, the leaves are ovate, and the flowers are yellow to orange. It is cultivated for its leaves with a spicy, peppery taste and a numbing effect, similar to anaesthesia at the dentist, lasting for a few seconds. The flowers are also edible, but beware! They have the same effects but much, much stronger! Sow in May and June. Harvest in July and August.

Native to South America and belonging to the Asteraceae family, Bredy mafana (Spilanthes oleracea in Latin) is also called Brède mafane, Para Cress, or Brazilian Cress.

This is an annual herbaceous plant with a spreading habit, reaching about 15 cm tall and 20 cm wide. It develops medium-green foliage composed of slightly dentate, oblong leaves that are very aromatic. Its edible flowers appear from August to October, in the form of yellow spherical pompoms.

In cooking, Para Cress is an essential ingredient in Ramazava, the national dish of Madagascar. It can be used raw or cooked in many exotic dishes and offers a spicy, peppery flavour (in Malagasy, "bredy mafana" literally translates to "hot herb") as well as a brief numbing effect that can be surprising! The flowers can also be eaten but sparingly, as their taste and effect are very pronounced.

In the garden, plant it in full sun, in rich, well-draining soil. Although well acclimatised, Brazilian Cress has some requirements: it cannot tolerate cold, drought... or waterlogged soils. Growing it in pots or containers is possible, even advisable.

Harvest: This occurs about 60 days after sowing. The leaves are picked as needed when the flower buds begin to open. Cutting the stems will encourage new shoots.

Storage: The leaves are best consumed a few hours after harvesting. However, they can be kept in the fridge for a few days, wrapped in a damp cloth. You can also dry them to enjoy them year-round.

The gardener's tip: To reduce weeding, once the plant is well established, mulch the soil with thin, successive layers of grass clippings, ideally mixed with dead leaves. This protective layer keeps the soil moist and also reduces watering needs.

The organic or "AB" seeds come from plants grown without pesticides (insecticides, herbicides). These seeds are also untreated after harvest. They carry the AB label and are certified by Ecocert, an independent organisation.

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