Fiddleheads are very popular in the northern areas of the Indian subcontinent. The white, green coiled fiddleheads called lingri in the region of Himachal Pradesh are termed as fiddle. The people of Darjeeling & Sikkim also refer to it as ningro while in certain areas of Assam the common people call it as he and thali. Also known as pink gourd, the fiddleheads mainly grows in thickets made of grass. It can be found in every hill station of this region and its abundance is a main factor that has promoted its spread all over the country.
Indian vegetable salads are quite a rage now days and fiddleheads belong in this category. It is a healthy alternative to the regular vegetable salads and is easily prepared. You may eat it either plain or boiled with some rice or cream or even with puffed rice. The vegetable salad eaten with fiddleheads is an excellent choice for starters, because the vegetable is very light in texture and hence it does not take much time in digestion.
Fiddleheads are mostly eaten as food and not as a salad. They are often mixed with other ingredients and eaten either together or separately. It is seen that a single meal eaten together with vegetables like spinach and beans and cauliflower or even carrot gives better health benefits than a single meal of ferns. The combination of ferns and vegetables eaten with rice or plain or boiled lentil is a great way of getting the mineral value of your food. This is because basmati seeds which contain a very high amount of minerals such as iron, zinc, manganese and copper, are present in fiddleheads.
Struthiopteris spp. or the common fiddlehead ferns are considered to be the ideal diet for preventing colon cancer. They help in maintaining the normal health of your colon and also help in fighting diseases like constipation and colitis. The other reason why they are so effective against colon cancer is that fiddleheads contain a lot of anti-oxidants. These ferns have anti-cancerous cells in their body, which prevent the growth of cancerous cells.
These ferns are rich in calcium, iron, vitamin B6, magnesium, manganese and folic acid. They are also rich in polyphenols contents and are found to have a very good nutritional value. You must keep in mind that apart from their nutritional benefits the ferns are also considered to be very tasty and are very popular for their attractive colors.
You can easily grow fiddleheads in bracken banks or along with other vegetables. They are easy to maintain and are long lasting. The yellow bracken ferns are the best suited for backyards as they do not compete with the greens. They are very easy to grow and you will be able to enjoy them at every stage.