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 fast 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.
PS: Mr Devarajan, one of our readers, informed that in Khadi Store, “Mudakathan Keerai pickle” is available. Those who are interested can try this also.

Recipe for Dosa:

  • Mudakathan Keerai Dosai

    Difficulty: Easy

    This dosai made with Mudakathan Keerai can be served with Spicy Onion Chutney, or Garlic Chutney

41 Comments

  1. this is awesome kamala !1 thanks for bringing the lesser known keerais out !!

  2. Hi Revathi, Thank you for visiting and posting your comments.

  3. Thanks for the lovely entry Kamala.

  4. Very interesting and informative post:)

  5. So interesting. This is a plant I’ve never heard of, and I’m very interested in learning about it.

  6. thanks for sharing this. i am constantly amazed at all the wonderful herbs, fruits and vegetables that grow in india but which western countries have no idea about. someone could even have these growing as an ornamental plant in their garden and have no idea it’s healthy for them!!!

  7. Kalyn and Anna,

    Thank you for posting your comments. Since the entry is restricted to one, I just posted about this. There are lots of less known or unknown herbs in India. I want to bring them all out. Will post one by one separately.

  8. kamala…
    good informative post.

  9. Degchi,
    Thank you for your comments.

  10. Mam.. its awesome.. highly interesting news abt Cardiospermum helicababum.. could u suggest me some other less familiar medicinal plants tat possess sound medicinal properties.. thank you..

  11. Welcome to my site Eddy. There are number of medicinal plants in India. I will try to post more information about other plants too.
    Thank you for your interest.

  12. whts she is telling is 200% true…its has amazing features…..reaaly effective…tried…am feeling light….with no pain….

  13. Thank you for visiting my site Padmini. Adding these types of herbs in our diet regularly will help to maintain a good health.

  14. Thanks..!! Can I get this keerai in USA?

  15. Hi,

    I have not seen this keerai in USA. Even other types of keerai are not found there. Only spinach and methi keerai, Gonkura are found in Indian stores. However, in some places, drumstick leaves are available. But not Mudakathan keerai. You can check with local farmer market or you can grow it in your house.

  16. Mala Natarajan

    Hi, Thanks for this useful information. I have bought Mudukathan Keerai from Chennai,India. Further I dried the keerai leaves in shade, powdered it and now using one spoon of it daily with butter milk / water.

    I hope this will benefit me for my knee pain.

    Thanks once again for enlightening us.

  17. Hi Mala Natarajan,

    Good idea. You can also add this powder to dosa batter and make dosa.

  18. V.Devarajan

    To day I bought Mudukathan Keera pickle available at Kadi Board shop at Coimbatore just an hour back .Thanks for your valuable information.The 100gram Pouch is priced at Rs 20 only .

    • Thank you Devarajan for the information. It will be really useful for the readers who wants to try this keerai. That too available in readymade form for an affordable price.

  19. Satyanarayana reddy

    Hi,
    Can you please let us know how frequent we need to take keerai kashyam for arthritis?
    Daily or monthly? should we take as such kashayam or need to mix with diet?

    Regards,
    Satyanarayana

    • Hi Satyanarayana Reddy,

      You can have daily if you get this Keerai or atleast once in a week. It can be taken in any form – have it as Kashyam or soup and add it to your daily menu wherever possible.

  20. hi,
    im frm Malaysia.. Here very difficult to get this mudakathan keerai.. How can i gt it??

    • Hi Shanmuga,

      Yes. This Keerai is rare and only found in villages and sold in nearby markets. However “Kadhi Bhavan” (Village Industry) is selling dry powder of this Keerai in their stores. But I am not sure whether it can be bought online. If you try with your friends in India, they may help you to buy this product.

  21. you can try this also.it is nice one. i used the paste of mudakatan in wheat atta and made pholkas ie chappaties with the side dish of masoor dal for dinner.

  22. I prepare mudakathan keerai rasam ( i cooked the fresh keerai and it’s steams and use that watter to prepare the rasam ) but it is too bitter to taste what to do to reduce the bitter tase

    • Hi Naveen,

      To reduce the bitterness, we have to add this keerai to other main dishes like dosa, adai etc. Making rasam with the puree of this keerai will be bitter only.

  23. Hello mam.

    I tried mudakathan keerai kootu. It was so bitter in taste. I cud’t put it in my mouth. Pls tell me some way to remove the bitter taste. I need to eat it for my medical problem.

    thank you.

    • Mudakathan Keerai is bitter. You cannot make kootu. You can prepare dosai and have it with spicy chutney.

    • i have taken like paste with water and honey for my anklosing spondylosis.it reduces pain and stiffness and good for digestion,removing toxins from kidney.but the taste is not good compare to my leg pain is not a issue.

  24. Can you please tell me the mudakkathaan keerai’s name in Telugu.Is it available in Hyderabad?If any visitors of your site is in the know of this availability,kindlylet us know and we will be highly obliged.

    Balakrishnan.

  25. hello,

    I’m leaving in Chennai [ villivakkam ] where will be available in the Chennai market.

    • You may get it from those who sell “Keerai” normally. However, it is not available regularly in the market. If you ask the “Keerai” vendor, they may bring it for you. I used to buy this in “Aminjikarai” market.

    • Hi Dinesh, it is available in koyambedu market also, today I bought it. very fresh keerai.

  26. N.Narasimhan

    R.N.CHOPRA’s Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants
    has given the name”Karnasphota” in Sanskrit and
    “Kanphuti” in Hindi for this plant

  27. Sakthivel

    Sir,
    What is the use of modakathan powder.?

    • It can be used in “Soups” or make “Kashayam” with this powder. It can also be added to idli/dosa batter and make “Mudakathan Keerai Dosai”.

  28. I am taking mudakathan kerrai in early morning as u said the ankle and nee pain remains same my uric acid level is 9% i am taking this juice daiy for past 10days but the pain remainds same please suggest me to get relive from this pain and ankle swelling

  29. I have rheumatoid arthritis .. I’m 27 years old.. I have joint pain in elbow hand , wrist and shoulder… I’m taking mudakkatran powder in water .. Will it reduce my pain …

  30. A. Riswanaparveen

    Madam, can I brown sugar for light sweetness.

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