Tomatillos, Chinese Lantern, & Palpalitok

Tomatillos (above photo) or Physalis philadelphica and Physalis ixocarpa are known to us Ilocanos as palpalitok (puff). It could be because it's main purpose is for kids or adults-acting-like-kids, to pop it on your forehead, or to unsuspecting anybody else's forehead for fun. Beyond that, we never really get to know it.

Knowing Ilocanos, called as human goats (in jest, OK?) by the rest of the Philippine ethnic groups (there are about 175 in all), it is a surprise this was never eaten - or considered for the staple viand dinengdeng. By the way, dinengdeng is far different from pinakbet. While both contain lots of vegetables, preparation or cooking are just not the same. One requires oil or meat to saute the vegetables with mandatory tomatoes, onions, and in 2-steps with vegetables all put together and cooked at one time, while the other requires boiled water, and complementary combinations of vegetables (no, babe. you don't mix just any vegetables together!). And the preferred Ilocano pinakbet has sweet potato over squash.

I won't believe it, though that we had to import palpalitok from Mexico where it apparently "originated". It is a plain weed in our parts of the earth. Something that just grows without reason (could be the rain, tho, or regular watering of where its seeds are).

Cultivation, on my end, is - a palpalitok grows where it is or is not expected. I tried transplanting them but rarely works as the stems are so fragile. They grow in pots where there already are resident plants, and I just let them. And they often just grow where water had been regularly thrown.

Uses:
1. As salsa verde (or green sauce)
2. Tomatillo jam
3. For cooking stews, soups, salads, curries, stirfries, baking, cooking with meats, marmalade, and desserts
4. In flower arrangement

Dried palpalitok...

Now, there's a similar green Chinese lantern or balloon plant called Cardiospermum halicacabum or Love in a Puff, a vine that also grew as weed in my garden.  It can be dried for flower arrangement, and in fact, decorative on its own.

According to Rev J. E. Tenison-Woods, the seeds can be eaten while the fruit was eaten roasted (roast the papery lantern?). The root is diuretic (helps the body produce urine) and demulcent (muco-protective agents or an agent that forms a soothing film over a mucous membrane that relieves minor pain and inflammation of the membrane). 

Interentengly, it is said that the Sanskrit prescribes many other medicinal uses for this plant it called Jyautishmati:

• root as emetic
• laxative
• stomachic, 
• rubefacient
• prescribe it in rheumatism
• nervous diseases, 
• piles, etc. 
• leaves are used in amenorrhoea. Source here.

In New Zealand, Bermuda and some U.S. States, it is considered pest, invasive, or noxious, and therefore, not advisable for cultivation. I'd try to use it for trellis, tho.