FOOD & DRINK
FORAGING WITHIN THE LAW By Khrishma Preston, The Alternative Indian We are lucky where we live – the foraging season is upon us. However, please do it sustainably and within the law. Legislation under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) makes it illegal in Britain ‘to uproot any wild plant without permission from the landowner or occupier’. The term ‘uproot’ is defined as ‘to dig up or otherwise remove the plant from the land on which it is growing’. Picking parts of a plant (leaves, flower stems, fruit, and seed) is therefore OK, if you don’t remove or uproot the whole plant.
stems as the underground part ensured the revival of the mushroom. • You are not using anything you take for commercial purposes, which includes making and selling your own jam. If what you’re taking is for your own personal use, you can forage as much as you like, with a few exceptions though, such as local limits imposed.
• You are allowed to be on the land, which includes public ground such as parks and canals, or you have access due to a public right of way or have permission to access the land from whoever owns it. Walking on private land in England and Wales, without permission implicit or explicit, is trespass; this isn’t a crime but is a civil offence, and you can be sued.
You should not pick any plant on a site designated for its conservation interest, such as National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Britain and Areas of Special Scientific Interest in Northern Ireland. Permission for picking from these sites requires prior consent from the appropriate statutory conservation agencies (English Nature, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage or the Environment and Heritage Service, Northern Ireland). It is illegal to pick, uproot or remove plants if by-laws are in operation which forbid these activities, for example on Nature Reserves, Ministry of Defence property or National Trust land.
• You are not taking anything protected in any way, such as endangered plants. You aren’t uprooting anything or damaging the plant beyond repair; this does not include cutting mushrooms at their
This month I thought I would give you my easy wild garlic butter recipe that’s versatile and can be easily used in a myriad of ways and is freezable. I have also given you my wild garlic butter chicken recipe.
You are allowed to gather from any wild plant if the following criteria are met:
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Wild Garlic Butter INGREDIENTS
METHOD
• 250g unsalted butter, softened
In a bowl, soften the butter and then combine in the salt flakes, black pepper, paprika and wild garlic. Shape into a log, wrap well with parchment paper and refrigerate until solid.
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes • 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper • 1 tsp paprika • 65g wild garlic leaves, chopped
Wild Garlic Butter Chicken Serves - 4
INGREDIENTS • Approx. 600g boneless and skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces Marinade • ½ cup plain yogurt • 2 tbsp garlic, minced • 1 tbsp ginger, minced or finely grated • 2 tsp garam masala • 1 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp ground cumin • 1 tsp red chili powder • 1 tsp salt Sauce • 1½ tbsp olive oil • 1½ tbsp wild garlic butter
• 1 large onion, sliced or chopped • 3 tbsp garlic, minced • 2 tbsp ginger, minced or finely grated • ½ tsp ground coriander • 1½ tsp ground cumin • 1½ tsp garam masala • 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes • 1 tsp red chili powder (adjust to your taste preference) • 1 tsp salt (or to taste) • 1 cup evaporated milk (to save calories) • ½ tbsp sugar • ½ tsp kasoori methi (or dried fenugreek leaves)
METHOD In a bowl, combine chicken pieces with all the ingredients for the marinade; let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour (or overnight if time allows). Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. When sizzling, add chicken pieces in batches of two or three, making sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until browned for only 3 minutes on each side. Set aside and keep warm. (You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce.) Heat the wild garlic butter in the same pan. Fry the onions until they start to sweat (about 6 minutes) while scraping up any browned bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant, then add ground coriander, cumin and garam masala. Let cook for about 20 seconds until fragrant, while stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, chili powder and salt. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and becomes a deep brown, red colour. Remove from heat and blend until smooth using a soup blender stick. You may need to add a little water if the sauce is too thick. Return to a low to medium heat. Stir the evaporated milk, sugar and crushed kasoori methi (or fenugreek leaves) or some fresh wild garlic through the sauce. Add the chicken with juices back into the pan and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and bubbling. Garnish with a little more wild garlic butter and serve with fresh, hot wild garlic butter rice and fresh homemade naan bread! 31
