Family:   Brassicaceae
Synonyms: Cardamine hirsuta subsp. Hirsute, Cardamine hirsuta var. formosana, Cardamine multicaulis, Cardamine scutata var. formosana, Cardamine umbrosa.
Common Name: Hairy Bittercress
Local Name: Gujjar ghas (गुज्जर घास)

Gujjar ghas is an annual plant of Western Himalaya which found growing upto an altitudinal range of 700- 2500 meters. It is with finely lobed leaves showing symmetrical rosette arrangement.

Gujjar ghas growing on rocky habitat
Image showing habitat of gujjar ghas
Gujjar ghas growing on wasteland

Plant is commonly seen growing on bare soil, light grass, cracks in paths, on walls, rocks and open or cultivated ground in shady to semi-shady habitat. Gujjar ghas is propagated by seeds and can grow anywhere without any care, so normally it considered as a weed to be removed.

Gujjar ghas a mature plant.

Young leaves and flowers of gujjar ghas are edible and eaten both raw or cooked. Plant is used as a potherb alone or along with other available winter green.

It is considered as the best tasting winter weed. Leaves are best to use fresh in salad and as garnishing or flavoring agent for its aroma in various food items, cooking however remove aroma to some extent.

Gujjar ghas is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and fodder.

Gujjar ghas Plant:

Plant is an annual herb, up to 50 cm tall.

Stems is simple, diffuse much branched, erect or creeping at base.

A plant of gujjar ghas

Leaves are small, green and rounded growing in opposite pairs along the leaf stem with one single, usually larger, finishing or terminal leaf at the end. These are variable, glabrous or hairy; basal leaves forming a rosette, imparipinnate, petioled; leaflets 5-13, orbicular or ovate, irregularly toothed or lobed; cauline leaves petioled or subsessile; leaflets lanceolate, narrowly oblong or obovate, toothed or lobed.

Gujjar ghas Morphology

Inflorescence racemose or sub corymbose, 10-20- flowered.

Flowers white, delicate, white, four petaled flowers growing in small groups at the top of a vertical stem.

Fruits cylindrical, somewhat compressed.

Edible leaves of gujjar ghas can be best harvested from pre-winter to pre- summer season of the year and flowers are available full spring. Plant show luxuriant growth and usually considered a weed to be removed here in Western Himalaya. Inhabitant  of this region  rarely use  this plant as a food. For many of them it is only a weed or ghas (Fodder). Very few are aware about its food value that it is loaded with vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, beta carotene, antioxidants and sulfur-containing compounds that boost immunity and help in cancer prevention. So, plant need to be promoted as favorite wild winter green and should be harvested sustainable for ensuring sustainable development.

Harvesting gujjar ghas

Edible Uses:

Fresh young leaves and flowers of gujjar ghas are used to garnish recipes and eaten in salad. Plant is used as a potherb and cooked as ‘saag’ alone or along with other available winter green.

Leafy Vegetable (saag):

Ingredients:

Young leaves  and tender shoot tips with flowers alone or with other available winter greens, 1 kg; mustard oil, 2 table spoons; coriander powder 1 table spoon; fenugreek powder, ½ table spoon; cumin seed ¼ table spoon; turmeric powder, 1/4 table spoon; red chilies, 2-3; chopped onions 2-4; garlic, 4-5 cloves; ginger paste ½ table spoon and salt according to taste.

Collected leaves of gujjar ghas

Method:

Boil chopped leaves and flowers they become soft.  Then mesh manually or in a mixer. Then sauté with hot mustard oil and the spices listed before in sequence. This sauted saag is then ready and can be served as such or can be mixed with 2 or 3 chopped onion and cooked for another 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Saag made up of young leaves of gujjar ghas

 Kachru:

Ingredients:

 Chopped tender shoot tip, young leaves and fresh flowers of gujjar ghas , 1kg; besan (black gram flour) or corn flour, 1/2 kg; fresh coriander leaves (chopped), 1 cup amount; caraway, 1/2 table spoon; green chilies, 2-3; turmeric powder, ½ table spoon; chopped medium sized onions, 2-3 and salt according to taste.

Method:

Make a paste of plant parts, besan or corn flour and spices. Heat some oil on a flat heating pan. Put some paste over a pan and make it flat by pressing with fingers. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Kachru will be ready to serve. Repeat this process for rest of the paste.

Rayata:

Ingredients:

1/2 kg fresh leaves, 1 Kg curd, 1 cup fresh coriander leaves (chopped), 3-5 green chillies, a pinch of black pepper powder, 1 table spoon rai powder, 2-3 medium sized chopped onions and salt according to taste.

Method:

Add finely chopped leaves to curd with ingredients listed above for preparing rayata or give a shallow fry to these boiled flowers in hot oil with onion and other spices listed above, before adding to curd. Garnish recipe with coriander, Mentha piperta, Oxalis corniculata and Rumex hastata leaves Now rayata is ready to serve.

Gujjar ghas leaves rayata

Nutrition value:

Per 100 g of fresh leaves contain;Moisture; 92.89 g,  Ash; 1.78 g, Fat; 0.239 g, Fiber;1.64 g, Protein; 3.99,  Carbohydrate; 1.70 g, Calorific value;  22.45 kcal.

Minerals (mg/100 g dried sample) Na; 100.48, K ;10462.28, Ca; 6.20, Mg; 5.60, Fe; 6.10, Cu; 1.62, Zn; 0.30, Mn; 0.64, Ni; 3.60, Cr; 0.87 , Co; 0.57, Se; 1.83.Pb; 0.86.

Plant is also rich source of phenolic, flavonoid and vitamin C. (Basumatary & Narzary; 2017).

Medicinal values:

Gujjar ghas is loaded with vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, iron, beta carotene, phenolic, flavonoid, antioxidants and sulfur-containing compounds that boost immunity and help in cancer prevention.

Other Uses:

Plant is used as fodder. 

References:

  1. Basumatary, S., & Narzary, H. (2017). Nutritional value, phytochemicals and antioxidant property of six wild edible plants consumed by the Bodos of North-East India. Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 10(3), 259-271.

248 thoughts on “Cardamine hirsuta L.- Gujjar ghas (गुज्जर घास)

  1. I loved as much as you’ll receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this increase.|

  2. Excellent blog you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any community forums that cover the same topics talked about here? I’d really like to be a part of community where I can get opinions from other experienced individuals that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Appreciate it!|

  3. This is really interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your fantastic post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks!|

  4. You have really changed my way of thinking about things on more than a few subjects today. My dads trying to discover more on this topic. I have tried a few of them and I really can’t decide which of them I like best. I really like your writing layout and how well the concepts are communicated.

  5. I would like to say great blog! I’ve truly enjoyed looking at this blog posts. You really have an amazing way of thinking about things. Honestly, this is only possible because of people like you. Your neighborhood is way better because of your work.

  6. Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group? There’s a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thank you|

  7. Hola! I’ve been reading your blog for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you
    a shout out from Porter Texas! Just wanted to tell you
    keep up the good job!

  8. Undeniably believe that which you stated. Your favorite justification seemed to be on the web the simplest thing to be aware of.
    I say to you, I certainly get irked while people think about worries that they just
    don’t know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the
    whole thing without having side-effects ,
    people could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more.
    Thanks

  9. Someone essentially help to make seriously articles I’d state. That is the first time I frequented your website page and thus far? I amazed with the research you made to make this actual put up amazing. Excellent job!|

  10. Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you’re a great author. I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will eventually come back someday. I want to encourage you continue your great writing, have a nice morning!|

  11. magnificent submit, very informative. I wonder why the other specialists of this sector don’t notice this. You must continue your writing. I’m confident, you’ve a huge readers’ base already!|

  12. Hi, I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I am going to come back once again since i have saved as a favorite it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.|

  13. It’s really a great and useful piece of info. I’m glad that you just shared this useful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.|

  14. Write more, thats all I have to say. Literally, it seems as though you relied on the video to make your point. You clearly know what youre talking about, why throw away your intelligence on just posting videos to your blog when you could be giving us something informative to read?|

  15. Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always useful to read articles from other writers and use something from their web sites. |

  16. Excellent post. I was checking constantly this blog and I am impressed! Extremely helpful info specifically the last part 🙂 I care for such information a lot. I was looking for this certain info for a long time. Thank you and good luck.|

  17. I will right away clutch your rss as I can not to find your email subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Kindly allow me know in order that I could subscribe. Thanks.|

  18. Thanks for some other magnificent post. Where else may just anybody get that kind of info in such an ideal way of writing? I have a presentation subsequent week, and I’m at the search for such info.|

  19. How would you recommend applying these tips in a work place setting? You’ve made my day! Thx again. Some nice points there. In my view, if all webmasters and bloggers made just right content material as you did, the web might be a lot more helpful than ever before.

  20. Greetings from Colorado! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I enjoy the info you provide here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m shocked at how fast your blog loaded on my cell phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, fantastic site!|

  21. hello!,I really like your writing so much! share we be in contact more approximately your post on AOL? I need an expert on this area to solve my problem. May be that’s you! Having a look ahead to peer you. |

  22. Undeniably believe that which you said. Your favourite reason appeared to be on the web the simplest thing to keep in mind of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed even as other people consider worries that they just do not realize about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the highest and also defined out the entire thing with no need side-effects , people could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks|

  23. It’s perfect time to make a few plans for the longer term and it is time to be happy. I’ve learn this put up and if I may I wish to recommend you few attention-grabbing issues or suggestions. Perhaps you could write subsequent articles referring to this article. I wish to read even more issues about it!|

  24. It’s the best time to make some plans for the longer term and it’s time to be happy. I have read this publish and if I could I want to recommend you some interesting issues or tips. Maybe you could write next articles regarding this article. I desire to read even more issues about it!|

  25. Howdy would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. P.S Apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!|

  26. This information is magnificent. I have been looking everywhere for this! Thumbs up! Will you be writing any additional blogs on this subject? Because I would sure love to discover more about this.

  27. Hi there would you mind letting me know which webhost you’re working with? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 completely different browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot quicker then most. Can you recommend a good web hosting provider at a reasonable price? Thank you, I appreciate it!|

  28. An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a co-worker who had been doing a little homework on this. And he actually bought me dinner because I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending some time to discuss this subject here on your internet site.|

  29. Its such as you learn my mind! You seem to understand a lot about this, like you wrote the e-book in it or something. I believe that you just could do with some to force the message home a little bit, however other than that, this is fantastic blog. A fantastic read. I will definitely be back.|

  30. I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I do not know who you are but definitely you are going to a famous blogger if you are not already 😉 Cheers!|

  31. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?BPLXLLSZ17

  32. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?XRFKYVJV17

  33. Thank you for another informative site. Where else could I get that kind of info written in such a perfect way? I have a project that I’m just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such information.

  34. Nice post. I learn something more challenging on different blogs everyday. It can all the time be stimulating to learn content from other writers and follow somewhat something from their store. I’d choose to make use of some with the content material on my weblog whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a hyperlink on your net blog. Thanks for sharing.

  35. First of all I would like to say terrific blog! I had a quick question which I’d like to ask if you don’t mind. I was curious to know how you center yourself and clear your thoughts prior to writing. I have had a tough time clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out there. I do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are generally lost just trying to figure out how to begin. Any ideas or tips? Thank you!|

  36. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?VXMJZLJS22

  37. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?KCISEKVE23

  38. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?MWMLKHPR25

  39. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?AYMWUJYK25

  40. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?AOHKLOIG26

  41. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?ZUFNEYSN27

  42. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?VEAVLQZH29

  43. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?FUTYZHMK30

  44. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?CNALUJGE35

  45. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?HPFVTQAL40

  46. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?VGHVZWRI40

  47. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?MCEERHNP41

  48. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?OETUHMLK42

  49. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?WNYYQMAA42

  50. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?AZUBPZUD45

  51. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?TBKESVEO47

  52. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?JLQKHHFZ48

  53. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?JHJGRZUX49

  54. Thank you for your sharing. I am worried that I lack creative ideas. It is your article that makes me full of hope. Thank you. But, I have a question, can you help me?JPKAKYCY50

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *