Ramdana (Amaranth)

Ramdana translates literally to 'God's Grain' (Ram-Dana). The Amaranth plant, with its vibrant red and purple plumes, paints the Himalayan hillsides in autumn. It is not a true cereal but a pseudo-grain. It is a sacred food, primarily eaten during religious fasts. But beyond religion, it is a nutritional powerhouse. The tiny seeds are popped like popcorn to make laddoos or ground into flour for parathas. It was a staple of the Aztecs, and similarly, it has fueled the Himalayan people for centuries.