Mudakathan Keerai

Mudakathan Keerai in Tamil is known as Indravalli in Sanskrit. Its botanical name is Cardiospermum halicababum and belongs to the soapberry family.

It is a woody perennial climbing plant with large ornamental seed pods that resemble balloons. Hence it is called Balloon Vine in English.

Originating from Tropical Asia, Africa and America, it is named as weed in some countries because of its past growing nature and obstructing sunlight to other plants.

But in India, it is not growing in large (it grows only near river beds and other wetlands) and it is used as a herb in Ayurvedic and other Indian medicines for treating Gout , Rheumatoid arthritis, Skin diseases, Cough, Nervous disorders, Piles, Muscle wasting, Dysentery, Diarrhea, etc.

Even though it has lot of medicinal values, it is not used in regular cooking because it is rare to find and tastes slightly bitter. However, in Tamilnadu, you will get this keerai fresh in the morning hours in the vegetable market.

To reduce the rheumatic pain, Kashayam is very effective. To make Kashayam, put a handful of Mudakathan Keerai along with two cups of water, a tablespoon of jeera and a pinch of turmeric powder in a vessel and bring to boil. Allow to boil for five to ten minutes and strain it.

Adding this keerai to one’s diet at least twice a month will definitely help in curing joint pain.

It tastes slightly bitter when fresh, but when cooked, you will not feel the bitterness.

Normally, people make dosa with this keerai.

Recipe for Dosa:

Mudakathan Keerai Dosai





This is for "Weekend Herb Blogging" hosted by Kalyn and Sri Valli

Keerai Poondu Masiyal

Ingredients:

Keerai- 1 bunch - Preferably Mulai Keerai (amaranth leaves)
Garlic flakes- 8
Green chilli- 1
Salt – ½ teaspoon

Method:

Remove the roots and wash the keerai thoroughly. Chop the keerai finely. Place the chopped keerai in a thick bottomed vessel. Crush the garlic slightly and add to the keerai along with green chilli slit into two and salt. Close it with a lid. Cook the keerai in slow flame. No need to add water since the keerai will cook in its own water content. When the keerai is cooked, mash it finely with a flat spoon. If you use the wooden matthu (round wood with long handle), you will get nice mashed Keerai masiyal.

Some people use mixie for mashing the keerai. We can do it. But do not over run the mixie, just grind for one round.



This Recipe is for WYC: Colour in Food Event by EC

Coconut Curry Leaves Chutney

Ingredients:

Coconut gratings – 1 cup
Curry leaves – 2 to 3 strings
Red chilli – 4 to 5 Nos
Bengal gram dhal – 1 tablespoon
Urad dhal – 1 tablespoon
Tamarind – a small gooseberry size (or you can use one teaspoon tamarind paste)
Asafotida – a small pea size (If you do not have hard one, you can use asafetida powder)
Salt – ¾ teaspoon or as per taste
Oil – 2 teaspoon
Mustard and curry leaves for seasoning

Method:

In a kadai put the oil and fry asafetida, dhals and red chillies. Add tamarind and fry for a while. Then add curry leaves and keep the stove to minimum. Fry the curry leaves for few seconds. Add coconut and switch off the stove. Cool it. Add salt and grind to a paste.

Season it with mustard and curry leaves.

Also See:Tomato Curry Leaves Chutney

Chow Chow Pepper Kootu

Ingredients:

Chow Chow – 1 No
Green Gram Dhal – ¼ cup
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Salt – ½ teaspoon or as per taste

To fry:

Red Chilli – 2 Nos
Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon
Jeera – ½ teaspoon
Urad Dhal – 2 teaspoon
Coconut gratings – 2 tablespoon
Oil - 1 teaspoon


For seasoning:

Oil – 1 teaspoon
Mustard – ½ teaspoon
Urad Dhal – 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves – few
Sambar Onion - 2 Nos

Method:

Cook Green gram dhal along with a pinch of turmeric powder in open vessel till soft.

Remove the skin from chow chow and cut into small pieces. Add these pieces to the dhal along with turmeric powder and salt. Cover with lid and cook on medium flame till soft.

Meantime, in a kadai put a teaspoon of oil and fry red chillies, urad dhal, pepper, jeera for one to two seconds and finally add the coconut gratings and fry for one more second. Remove and cool it. Grind it to a fine paste.

When the vegetable is cooked well, add the ground paste along with little water and mix well. Allow to boil for few minutes on low heat.

Season it with mustard, urad dhal, curry leaves and chopped onion.

Tips: You can prepare the above Kootu with Bottlegourd also.

Cabbage Poriyal

Ingredients:

Cabbage - one small size or one medium size cut piece
Bengal Gram Dhal - 2 tablespoons
Coconut gratings - 1 tablespoon
Onion - 1 medium size
Green Chillies - 2 or 3 depending on the size
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 2 teaspoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dhal - 1 teaspoon
Salt – ½ teaspoon or as per taste

Method:

Cut the cabbage into fine bits. Chop the onion, curry leaves and green chillies.

Cook the bengal gram dhal along with a pinch of turmeric powder till soft and drain the excess water.

In a kadai put the oil and when it is hot add mustard. When it pops up, add urad dhal and fry till it turns light brown. Then add chopped onion, green chillies and curry leaves and fry for two minutes. Add cabbage and mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on low flame. No need to add water. Stir now and then till it is cooked. Now add the cooked dhal along with salt and stir for few seconds. Then add coconut gratings and mix well.

Note:Instead of Bengal Gram Dhal, we can use Green Gram Dhal (Payatham Paruppu) also. If you cook cabbage in large quantity (for party etc), then before seasoning, just cook in boiling water along with little salt for three to five minutes and discard the water. Season it as above. This type of cooking will give soft proiyal.