Nutrition from the hills
Azuki beans and purple corn are among the highlights of this year's Royal Project 47 fair at CentralWord
Take time out this weekend to shop for the very best quality fruits, vegetables and flowers as the annual Royal Project 47 event draws to a close at CentralWorld for another year.
Organised by the Royal Project Foundation and the shopping centre, this year’s gustatory extravaganza is on theme “The Miracle of the Royal Project” and features more than 3,000 products including processed azuki beans, purple corn, dahlias and calla lilies. A sideline exhibition also showcases the advances in progress of different rice varieties, specific bean varieties that grow in the highlands and new flower hybrids.
A highlight is the17-metre-high sculpture, “The Miracle of the Royal Project”, decorated with 367 golden Bodhi leaves to honour His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on the occasion of the celebration of his 70-year reign and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on her seventh cycle birthday.
“The King started the Royal Project in 1969, aiming to develop agriculture in the highlands to reduce the problems of shifting cultivation, forest demolition and the growing of addictive plants among the hill tribes. A further objective was to preserve the forests, which are major source of water for the country, and to develop the quality of life for the hill tribe population,” says HSH Peesadech Ratchanee, president of the Royal Project Foundation.
“Over the years, the Royal Project has studied cold weather crop plantations in order to help the farmers in the highlands generate income as a replacement for growing opium and it has been very successful. The Foundation holds a Royal Project event every year to show the progress of our research and development to distribute crops and products from the Royal Projects, the King’s personal projects and other supporting units that partner with the foundation.
“The highlighted products for this year include processed azuki beans, which is a new product derived from mashed beans and a delicious ingredient for many dishes. Purple corn, a new plant variety, is a crop from the Royal Agricultural Station Pang Da and has a delightful sweet taste and crunchy texture. We have a good number of corn crops and this is the first year we have been able to commercially distribute them. Dahlias, eucomis and calla lilies are for sale in bunches and in flowerpots. These new varieties of flowers may replace some imported blooms.”
Food stylist Suthipong “Karb” Suriya is on hand to will show shoppers the best method of cooking with processed azuki beans and purple corn. Both vegetables contain anthocyanin, which is high in antioxidants and helps to slow down the degeneration of cells, stimulates blood circulation, reduces the risk of heart disease and arteriosclerosis in the brain, decelerates deterioration of the eyes, and helps to inhibit Escherichia coli pathogenic bacteria – a cause of diarrhoea and food poisoning. Processed azuki beans and purple corn can be used as ingredients for various healthy dishes and are suitable for everyone and all ages.”
The Royal Project 47 event also features a range of other fruit and vegetables, among them yellow cherry tomatoes, bok choy, butternut squash, organic chayote, passion fruit, avocado, persimmons, figs and processed products such as kimchi in a tub made from clean Chinese cabbage. Crispy shiitake, Cape gooseberry drinks, and passion fruit drinks are also available.
Poultry products include smoked chicken (poulet de Bresse) and smoked pheasant.
Other products from the King’s personal projects as well as The Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen, Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre, Chitralada Store, The Royal Chitralada Projects, Arts & Crafts Supply Store, the Sai Jai Thai Foundation Under Royal Patronage, Phufa shop, Chulabhorn Research Institute, the Princess Pa Foundation, the To Be Number One project and Dr Namjai Store are also on sale.
Fill your bag
The Royal Project 47 event is being held in the central court zone until tomorrow night. For more information, call (02) 667-5555.
