• E Sajeev Kumar, consultant scientist at KR Narayanan Centre for Biotechnology, Kottayam and senior scientist at Ayur Yuva Institute of Innovation for Science and Heritage (AYIISH) in Palakkad, has been conducting research on medicinal properties of plants that are considered as weeds or inedible. “Improving our health is possible by including food that develops immunity,” he says. He has published a book of recipes for cooking with different kinds of leaves. There are recipes for leaves of hibiscus, bitter gourd, tender jackfruit leaves, tender banana leaves and so on.