Weird oriental ingredient

[gennisis]

I have seen this on a few cookery shows.

Looks about the size of a walnut,dark black/brown.

Placed in water it opens up,as if were growing and produces a white/cream set of stalks/leaves/fronds. Jamie Oliver used the water to flavour rice Thai cook used it in his menu of some dish.

Any ideas what it is called?

[wayned]

sounds like water chestnut

[gennisis]

sounds like water chestnut

Not Water Cheshnut.Looked up on Google....quite different

[ToddWeston]

It is a blooming jasmine tea ball, saw them at Lotus Tesco a few days ago.

I saw the same show and tried it, of course mine didnt look as pretty as Jamie's dish but it did add a wonderful flavour.

As a tea it's a nice change.