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

.