Kutki is a perennial alpine herb known botanically as Picrorhiza kurroa, a member of the Plantaginaceae family native to the Himalayan regions of India, Nepal, and Tibet. It forms low rosettes of leaves in mountainous terrain, and the rhizome is the part traditionally harvested for herbal use.
In Ayurvedic practice, kutki has long been valued as a bitter herb and included in traditional formulas. It is not a common culinary herb, and its reputation comes largely from specialist classical herbal systems rather than household food use.
Kutki grows in fragile mountain environments, and responsible sourcing is especially important because wild populations have been under pressure in some areas.
