Shortly after dawn, as the sun suffuses the eastern sky and temperatures start to rise, the bees arrive to forage on the bright yellow flowers crowding the wild “carille” vine.
Known as the “baan carille,” it is an aggressive creeper that sprouted on its own, covering the ornamental tree in the far corner of the garden, so that it now appears as a strange, looming sentinel.
A milder version of the bitter gourd plant, this specimen bears miniature bumpy fruits only about an inch big. These are traditionally gathered by the bowlfuls from backdams and village fences, to be painstakingly peeled and stir-fried with fresh water or succulent swamp shrimps caught from the nearby swamps, trenches and rivers.
Birds raid the ripe, orange balls which are surprisingly sweet and added to flavour hot pepper sauces, while the acrid-scented shiny dark green leaves go towards the dreaded Caribbean “cerassee” or herbal tea touted for everything from treating ailments like cancer and diabetes, to stomach trouble, constipation and body cleansing.
