Bok phool translates literally to "heron flower"—called so because of the flower's uncanny resemblance to the bird. The flowers bloom between monsoon and winter.  Every market has at least one or two people who sell bok phool in a large round wicker basket, the flowers arranged neatly in a concentric pattern.

The tree can grow quite tall. Every other year, sometime in summer, my father trims the bok phool tree in our garden, and cuts off the upper branches. The tree grows back again by autumn. Bok phool can be cooked in many different ways, but my favourite are these batter fried fritters called bok phool'er bora.

If you have been following our channel for some time, you are sure to have encountered this batter recipe before. It is my maternal grandmother's recipe. Instead of chickpea flour or rice flour, this recipe uses a mix of plain flour and semolina that produces a light but crunchy (not crispy) exterior. It stays crunchy even after an hour of frying even in Calcutta's humidity!