BUTTERFLY PEA (BUNGA TELANG)

Quite a number of dishes and cakes (kuih) in Malaysia use the colouring from the smashed petals of bunga telang or butterfly pea flowers.

The Butterfly Pea or Clitoria (also known as Aparajita in India) is a flowering plant that is insect pollinated. This plant is native to south and southeast Asia, where the flowers are often used as a food dye.
In animal tests the methanolic extract of Clitoria ternatea (Butterfly pea) roots demonstrated nootropic, anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant and antistress activity. The active constituent(s) include Tannins, resins, Starch, Taraxerol & Taraxerone. Clitoria ternatea root extracts are capable of curing hooping cough if taken orally. The extract from the white-flowered plant can cure goiter. Its roots are used in the ayurveda system of Indian medicine.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clitoria