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Katuray (read: kah-too-rye) is also known as Corkwood Tree, Agati, and/or West Indian Pea. It is one of the few edible flowers around, and is a popular edible flower used in Ilocano dishes (Ilocos Region is located north-west of the country). There are two varieties - the white one and the deep pink one, but I only got to taste the white kind. It is most abundant every summer.
Katuray can be added to some dinengdeng dishes (boiled vegetables seasoned with fermented fish paste), but at times my aunt would prepare it as a salad, like the one in the picture. We had this when sister and I went to our paternal hometown last March, when katuray flowers were practically everywhere.:)
They say the flowers were bitter... I still haven't experienced tasting bitter katuray flowers. I guess it comes with preparation. From what my aunt taught me, one must open the pods and take out the pollen and this one thin strand in the middle of it. Preparing the salad, aunt would simply blanch it, then add cane vinegar, salt, ground pepper, and sliced onions.
It's simple, yet delicious, and it goes well with fried / grilled fish.
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