Gundelia

What Is Gundelia (Kenger)?

Gundelia (Gundelia tournefortii) is a thorny, perennial plant of the daisy family that grows in the rural areas of Southeastern Anatolia, the Mediterranean and the Aegean. It oozes a milky white sap when cut; as it matures it forms a yellowish-green thorny flower head.

The edible part is its fleshy stem, which appears after the outer rind is peeled; it has a mildly astringent taste similar to artichoke.

Nutritional Values of Gundelia

There is no verified, comprehensive nutritional dataset for gundelia; therefore, numerical values are not provided here. It is generally known to be a fibrous vegetable stem.

What Are the Benefits of Gundelia?

Gundelia is a fibrous wild vegetable traditionally consumed in spring in Southeastern Anatolia; "gundelia coffee" made from roasted seed heads is known as a caffeine-free beverage alternative.

This information is general; gundelia is a food, not a substitute for medical treatment.

How to Choose and Forage Gundelia?

Gundelia should be foraged while its thorns are still soft, when young and fresh; on a mature plant the thorns become sharp and it becomes harder to forage. Wearing gloves prevents injury while foraging.

• Fresh plants with a fleshy stem that oozes a white sap when broken should be preferred
• Young plants whose thorns have not yet hardened should be chosen
• Foraging without gloves is not recommended; thorn pricks can be quite unpleasant

How to Store Gundelia?

Unpeeled gundelia stays fresh in the refrigerator for a few days; for long-term storage it can be boiled and frozen, or dried like tarhana for preservation.

Using Gundelia in the Kitchen

Peeled gundelia stem is boiled and used with egg or yogurt, and also in meat dishes; mature seed heads are roasted and ground to be brewed as coffee.

How to Peel and Cook Gundelia?

After the thorny outer rind is peeled off with a knife, the stem is cut into pieces and boiled in salted water until soft; it is then used with a yogurt-garlic sauce or in meat dishes.

How to Make Gundelia Coffee?

Mature gundelia seed heads are roasted and ground; this powder is brewed with boiling water and consumed as a caffeine-free coffee alternative.

Which Recipes Use Gundelia?

Gundelia with eggs, gundelia meat dish and gundelia coffee are well-known gundelia recipes of Southeastern Anatolian cuisine; gundelia tarhana is also a traditional preservation method.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is gundelia eaten?

The fleshy stem that appears after the thorny outer rind is peeled is boiled and eaten; roasted seed heads are used to make coffee.

Where does gundelia grow?

It grows wild in spring in the rural, rocky areas of Southeastern Anatolia, the Mediterranean and the Aegean.

What should be considered when foraging gundelia?

Since the plant is thorny, it should be foraged with gloves; young plants whose thorns have not yet hardened should be preferred.

What is gundelia gum?

The milky sap that oozes when the gundelia stem is cut is dried in the sun and turned into a natural gum; this product is known locally as "gundelia gum."

Does gundelia coffee contain caffeine?

No, since gundelia coffee is made from roasted seed heads, it does not contain caffeine; it is an alternative similar to coffee made from chicory root.