CLIMBING BRINJAL PESTO/THUTHVALAI THUVAIYAL/தூதுவளைத் துவையல்

Climbing brinjal/Thuthuvalai is one of the popular medicinal herbs commonly available in almost all over India. This herbal plant belongs to the family Solanaceae. The Scientific name of This herb is Solanum Tribulatum.

It is used for treating various respiratory problems since the time immemorial.

Its Vernacular names are as follows:

Sanskrit: Alarka, Vallikantakaarika

English: Climbing brinjal 

Tamil: Thuthvalai/தூதுவளை 

Hindi: Kandakaari-lata

Malayalam:Parachunda, Tootuvila, Parachunda

Telugu: Alarkapatramu, Kondavuchinta,Mullamustil

Kannada: Kakamunji, Ambusondeballi

Oriya: Bryhoti

Marati: Mothiringnee, Thoodalam

Manipuri:Leipung khang

How to make this tasty Thuthuvalai thuvaiyal?

Pluck the young leaves

Wash them and keep ready.

Don't bother about the thorns. We are going to

saute the leaves with thorns until crispy.

Ingredients:

Thuthuvalai leaves with thorns 3/4 th bowl

Ghee 2 tbsp

Split Chana dal 50 gm

Shredded Coconut 100 gm

Garlic 2 pcs

Tamarind, a star berry size

Asafoetida 2 pinches

Himalayan pink rock salt 3/4 tsp

Jaggery powder 1 tsp

Water as needed

Procedure:

Heat the wok with 2 tbsp Desi cow ghee on medium flame. 

Transfer the leaves and saute until little crispy

on medium heat.

Transfer the sauteed leaves to a bowl.

Add Bengal gram or split Chana dal in same pan.

Fry the dal until golden brown.

Let them heat be low-medium level.

Care should be taken not to burn dal. 

Add Chana dal to the same pan in remaining ghee

Add dry red chillies. Saute with fried dal.

Add garlic and Tamarind and saute for another 2 minutes.

Transfer the shredded Coconut  and mix thoroughly.

Sprinkle 2 pinches of Asafoetida 

Mix to combine

Turn off the heat in this stage.

The heat of the pan is sufficient for Sauting hereafter.

Add rock salt, jaggery powder.

Mix to combine. 

Transfer the sauteed leaves. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool down.

Pour 1/2 a cup water the mixie jar.

Now, Transfer the sauteed ingredients.

Grind until fine and thick paste

Done.

 

Thuthuvalai chutney/Thuvaiyal is ready to serve.

Serve with hot steamed Rice and a dash of fresh ghee.

The taste of thuvaiyal Rice is Unbeatable. 

Your loved ones want more and more.

We can serve this chutney as pesto in sandwich bread.

The kids and even adults will love this sandwich.

we can have it with Idlis.

 

DWARF COPPERLEAF DAL KOOTU/PONNANGANNI PARUPPU KOOTU

How to make healthy and delicious Ponnanganni Kootu?

This recipe involves three steps.

First Step:

We have to chop the greens first.

Set ready

Step Two:

Ingredients we need:

Toor dal  75 gm

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Castor oil 3-4 drops.

cooking Dal

Add rinsed Toordal with water to the pressure cooker.

Add turmeric

Pour 3-4 drops of castor Oil

Cover and pressure cook until three whistles on medium heat. Set aside to cool down.

Open and check if the dal is cooked soft and mushy.

Step Three:

Ingredients we need:

Coldpressed Groundnut Oil 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Chopped shallots 3/4 cup

Green Chillies 2 pcs lit

Curry leaves 20 pcs

Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Chopped tomato one

Turmeric 1/4 tsp

Chopped greens

Cooked dal

Water 100 ml

Himalayan pink rock salt 3/4 tsp

Step by step procedure:

Coldpressed groundnut oil in a khadai on medium heat

Mustard seeds to be added

Once the mustard seeds start crackling, add shallots

Add green Chillies, slit

Add Curry leaves and saute until the shallots fried translucent

Add Cumin seeds

Add chopped tomato

Add a little turmeric say 1/4 tsp

Saute for a while

Now add the chopped ponnanganni greens

Saute until the greens to be fried a little

Add Toor dal contents and mix well

Add rock salt

Allow boiling fora while

Pour 100 ml water 

Stir again to combine 

Allow cooking covered for 10 minutes.

done.

This kuzhambu or kootu is more yummy with the addition of Desi Cow ghee one tsp with hot steamed rice.

Highlights of Ponnanganni Greens/Dwarf copperleaf greens

Dwarf Copperleaf/Ponnanganni keerai is available in markets throughout the year.

It is packed with Iron, Calcium and so many

Nutrients that make our eyes and skin glowing.

The plant grows like a runner and is being cultivated for culinary purposes and Herbal medicine.

As a Herbal medicine,  the green has diuretic,

cooling and laxative properties. Moreover, it is strongly beleived to be beneficial to eyes and natural hair treatment.

 

There are two varieties namely naatu ponnanganni and seemai ponnanganni.

Naatu Ponnanganni with green leaves where as

Seemai ponnanganni has raddish pink leaves.

Vernacular names of Ponnanganni:

Ponnangantikura/Ponnanganni aku in Telugu

Garundi/Guroo in Hindi

Honagonne in Kannada

Dwarf Copper leaf/Sessile joyweed in English

Matikaduri in Assamese

Mukunuwenna in Singala

Scientific name: Alternanthera Sessilis

Nutritional profile

Ponnanganni greens are rich in Vitamin A, Calcium, Beta-carotene, dietary fiber iron and Vitamin C.

In Ayurveda, it is said to be consumes to maintain the eyes healthy, to regulate the digestive process, to bring a natural glow to the skin and to cool the body in summer.

In Africa, this herb is used to treat snake bites and to soothe aches and pain.

It enhances energy level If it is consumes with Desi cow milk in the morning.

It stimulates the bile flow thereby takes care of liver.

It improves breast milk of lactation mothers.

It helps to gain weight for those who are underweight.

It treats acute and bleeding piles

.

 

DETAILED VIDEO RECIPE OF KEEZHANELLI RASAM/SOUP/GALE OF THE WIND SOUP/BHUMI AMLA SOUP/RASAM

Keezhanelli herbs tend to grow on their own without requiring any maintenance as weeds

in soil. They consist of so many medicinal properties but we never care about this Magical herb.

Its various names are Keezhakkai nelli or Kerezhvai nelli. Gale of the wind and stone breaker in English and Bhumi amla in hindi, Bhumyamalaki in Sanskrit.

The leaves of the plant contain Phyllanthus,  an Active ingredient that add strong bitterness to the leaves.

Its unripe fruits resemble nellikkai, amla or Gooseberry but smaller in size and grow beneath the leaves and hence the name Keezhanelli.

Scientific name: Phyllanthus niruri. 

 Its medicinal properties:

As a Herbal medicine, it works miraculously on serious ailments since unknown times.

* Urinary tract stones 

* Inflammation

* Dysentry

* Ulcers

* Diseases that mainly affect the genetals and uri

   -nary tract

* Diabetes 

* Scabies and skin sores

* Jaundice

Keezhanelli is predominantly a cure sure for Jaundice since very long time.

We can get the amazing benefits of keezhanelli/gale of the wind by consuming keezhanelli rasam or as soup every 15 days once.

How to make this irresistable Keezhanelli Rasam?

INGREDIENTS 

Sesame oil 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds 3/4 tsp

Curry leaves 10-20 pcs

Asafoetida 2 pinch

Slit red Chilly one

Gale of the wind/ Keezhanelli leaves and its tender stem

Gooseberry size Tamarind

Grated Garlic 1 tsp

Jaggery powder 3/4 tsp

Ground mix of roasted cumin seeds and Pepper 1 tbsp

Himalayan pink rock salt 3/4 tsp

Cooked Dal contents with water 2 cups

PROCEDURE:

Soak Tamarind in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes.

Pressure cook the Toor dal 75 gms + one whole tomato with 1/2 tsp and 4 drops of Castor oil until 3 whistles. Set aside to cool down.

Take out the cooked tomato and add to the soaked Tamarind contents.

Make the cooked dal mushy using a ladle.

Add water as needed. Set ready.

Heat the Coldpressed Sesame Oil in a pan

Add Mustard seeds to splutter 

Reduce the heat to low level.

Once the Mustard seeds start to splutter, add Curry leaves and slit red Chilly.

Sprinkle Asafoetida 

Saute for a second.

Strain the Tamarind and one tomato extract directly into the pan.

Now increases the heat to medium level.

Add salt, jaggery powder, Ground mixture of roasted cumin seeds and Pepper.

Add Grated garlic

Allow boiling for 2 minutes.

Add the cooked dal contents.

Stir to combine.

Let them start boiling.

Switch off the heat Once Rasam is just about to boil.

Done.

Rasam is ready to be served with hot steamed Rice or consume as the hot soup. 

Healthy and comfort Rasam!

Enjoy. 

BANANA BLOSSOM CHUTNEY

Health benefits of Banana blossom:

Banana blossom is one of the super foods that treats infections naturally. In this way, it keeps infections at bay. 

Good support for women by dealing with abdominal pain during menstrual period and regulates menstrual bleeding.

It maintains  blood Sugar levels and thereby treats diabetes.

Banana flowers contain phenolix acids, tannins, flavanoids and so many antioxidants that reduces the risk of heart diseases and cancer.

It improves lactation because of its galactagogue contents. It is helping to support the health of uterus and reduces blending post delivery.

Banana flower is rich in Vitamin C and a potential source of antioxidants thereby sowing the ageing process. 

This blossom is packed with richness of iron and improve the tiredness due to anaemia combats iron dificency. 

 It is an alkaline food balancing the stomach acid secretions and heals ulcers and pain.

Banana blossom  is a high dietery fibre that is a natural way to treat constipation and regulates the bowel movement.

Banana blossom is a natural GIFT of treasure trove of Nutrients including fibre, potassium, Calcium, Copper, phosphorous,  Iron, magnesium and vitamin C and E.

Low in calories and rich amino acids and Vitamins.

Hence it is great to overall wellness. We should add this wonderful banana flowers in our regular diet weekly once or twice.

How to make this tasty banana blossom chutney?

Ingredients:

Banana blossom  cleaned and chopped one bowlful

Dried red chillies 2 pcs 

Groundnut Oil Coldpressed  2 tbsp

Tamarind one Gooseberry size 

Curry leaves 10-15 pcs

Roasted gram 50 g 

Shredded Coconut 3/4 cup/75 gm

Jaggery powder 1 tsp

Himalayan pink rock salt 3/4 tsp

Garlic clove one chopped

Procedure:

Step one:

Peel off the overlapping bracts of banana blossom and pluck out the row of flowers tucked in each bract.

We have to peel off 12 bracts to collect one big bowlful flowers.

Apply coconut oil with hands because slimy discharge doesnt stick  on hands.

Remove the stigma or pistil and transparent scale from each flower.

Pour little coconut oil over the flowers before chopping why because it prevents colour change.

Chop them using a Quick chopper.

STEP TWO:

Heat oil on medium heat
Add red chillies, tamarind,  curry leaves respectively.
Add chopped banana flowers and saute for five minutes on medium heat.
Reduce the heat.
Add roasted gram and next shredded Coconut.
Add jaggery powder and salt.
Saute again on low heat
Add chopped garlic.
Sprinkle Asafoetida optional.
Turn off the heat.
Set aside to cool down.
Transfer the saute ingredients to the mixie jar.
Add water and grind coarsely

Banana blossom Chutney/Thuvaiyal is ready to be served with hot steamed Rice and a dash of fresh ghee. It pairs very well with Idlis dosas, Chapatis and Rotis, pooris and any one pot meal.

Preparing time 15 minutes
cooking time  15 minutes
servings: 4 persons

EASY BASIL PESTO PASTTA

The appealing Basil pesto Pasta is a quick and p dish as breakfast or dinner meal. I would recommend to use fresh basil (to be grown in each home garden or terrace garden) for making basil pesto that is healthy, delicious and nutritious.  This basil loves abundant sunlight and frequent water spray. It will take just 8 minutes to make your own pesto. Pesto means paste or chutney.

The Traditional basil pesto is using toasted Pine nuts as it is originated from Italy. Here, We are using Cashews nuts to make this yummy pesto. We substitute cheese instead of parmesan cheese used in Italian method.

The pesto pasta is pretty easy to make, including the preparation of your own pesto.. 

How to make basil pesto in my method:

basil greens one bowlful

Cashewnuts raw 10-15 pcs

Garlic clove one

Himalayan pink salt 1/2 tsp

Crushed Pepper 3/4 tsp

Olive oil one tablespoon

Grated cheese one cube

Lemon juice half Lemon

Blend to  coarse paste. Set aside.

How to make basil pesto pasta?

Pasta used for this recipe is Bambino pasta including pasta mix powder. 

Cook the pasta in boiling water for just 3 minutes. You should add 200 ml water per 120 gm pasta. Add the pasta maker mix and stir well.

Cook on medium heat until no water remains. 

Now add basil pesto 3-4 tbsp and mix well on low heat. Once mixed well, turn off the heat.

Serve hot or warm.