Keerai varieties we get in the U.S.

[nalabaagam]

Hubbers in U.S.,

I want a favor from you all...I want to make it a habit to cook keerai atleast once every week. To do this all I have been doing these days is keep alternating between bunch spinach (that can be got in Wal-mart) and methi leaves (vendhaya keerai that can be got in Indian grocery stores). It's getting boring :x to keep repeating only these 2 types, because not variety of keerai kootu and masiyal can be made out of these 2.

I want to know if anyone is aware of similar keerai varieties available in India that we can get in Wal-mart or other stores here in the U.S. Though I find lots of greens in Wal-mart, I don't pick them becos Iam not sure what keerai they are from their names here, and how they would taste if cooked in Indian methods.??!!

Appreciate responses...thanks,
Nalabaagam.

[hemakk]

hai nalabaagam,

if you have any chinees stores or Thai or karebean stores near by your area go to search it, b'ze we were in FL., we got the different varieties of spinach like we are getting in India (ex: drumstick leaves, valla keerai in tamil and other also available), now we are living in near Boston, here also i am getting the different types of keerai varieties and also Indian veg., is cheaper than the Indian stores. check it out.

[gkals]

hi hema,

Iam also having the same problem like nalabagam.I also have 17 month old girl and i hardly give her greens.i feel that she may get cold if she eats spinach and methi.i too live near boston
(in westborough).can u please sugest any shops for finding keerai here.by the way where r u in boston?

[guhapriya]

Hai hemakk

I also stay near Boston may i know which indian stores has different greens . I usually get only Spinach .

Thanks a lot

Priya

[guhapriya]

Hai hubbers

Yes when spinach is the only greens available it is boring to have it in the same way . But here is a recipie which iI have tried and is very tasty

Spinach chappathi
Wheat flour 2 cups
Spinach a bunch
Jeera powder 1 tsp
Garam masala powder 1tsp
Salt to taste

Take wheat flour and add salt ,chopped spinach . jeera and garam masala powder

Add minimum water and the knead the flour to make it soft.

Heat a pan. Fry the chappathi when the pan is hot and dry. Add a tsp of oil along the edges.

Serve with any chutney or raitas

[Inimai]

Hi,

We can use Beetroot leaves and radish leaves as spinach. Though these are not tasting as good as our keerais, we can use it.

Thanks!

[bhargavi.raj]

I like swiss chard, Its very nice . we make a subji which is very tasty with roti or rice. I find it tastes similar to the red keerai we get in India.

Swiss chard = chard = spinach beet = leaf beet = seakale beet = silver beet = white beet Notes: Swiss chard is used much like spinach, except that it has an appealing beet-like flavor and a heavier texture, which requires longer cooking. Many cooks simply sauté it in olive oil and serve it as a side dish. Red chard = rhubarb chard = ruby chard, with green leaves and red stalks, is slightly more tender and flavorful than white chard = green chard, with white stalks and green leaves, but the two are interchangeable in most recipes. Substitutes: beet greens OR spinach OR turnip greens OR bok choy OR escarole OR mustard greens


Also we have Mustard greens readily available. All of us have heard of sarson ka saag, Its a famous side dish made in punjab, Mustard greens is very healthy.


Look for swiss chard & mustard greens from april throu august.
Bhargavi.Raj

[gaya3usa]

:arrow: Try Collard greens - available in all american grocery stores.
It is so good to make poorial. It taste so close to agathi keerai.
Chop finely including the tender stem and make the poorial.

Happy Cooking :)

- Gayathri

[hemakk]

hai all,

i am living in Rhode Island,providence. i will check and will post the correct route where i am getting all the spinach.

i am getting the different type of spinach, bunch of curry leaves, mint, g.chilly, ind.veg., in Thai store or Chinees store, not in Indian store. its cheaper than the Indian store.

[kavithasenthil]

This thread is very useful. Thks to all who gave info abt keerais.

[Sandhiya]

Hi Hemakk,
I also live in boston please do post the information or the route to the store u are mentioning about .

Hi Nalabaggam,
as gaya3usa said try collard greens .
Collard greens a bunch
onions.
Seasoning :
mustard
urad dhal
redchilles

1.Chop onions,garlic and the leaves only finely
2.in a little bit of oil add the seasonings
3.add onions and garlic and saute
4.add collard greens
5.add a little water
6.and close it with a lid
7.after itsdone and the water is evaporated remove the lid and add dry cocunut powder or dry cocunut flakes
7.remove it from the flame and serve hot
8.it comes close to murungai keerai(drum stick leaves)

with the stem of collard greens u can chop them and put it in any kara kolambhu with the black eyed peas or mochai kottai.
it makes a good dish for the day.

[guhapriya]

HAi Hema

I am at present in Boston and i am moving to Rhode island in a fortnight I am planing to move to warwick., I would like to know the name of the store you are talking about . Can u mail it to guhapriyas@gmail.com

Thanks

[hemakk]

Sunny Market Place
243 Reservoir Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
(401) 941-5089

http://yellowpages.superpages.com/supermaps/mapinit.jsp?N=sunny&S=RI&R=N&STYPE=S&LID=0000761080&map.x=212&map.y=125&level=8&lat=041790389&lng=-071428966&POI1lat=041790389&POI1lng=-071428966&POI1name=Sunny+Market+Place&streetaddress=243+Reservoir+Avenue&city=Providence&state=RI&zip=02907

Check the timings before you visit. Once it was closed when I visited by 7pm.

Landmark: It is next to Cumberland Farms/Gulf Gas Station in Rte 2/Reservoir Ave.

Simple Direction:
* Take Exit 16 on I-95 (North or South) towards Reservoir Ave Rte 10.
* Take Rte 10 West/North.
* Take Reservoir Ave Exit.
* Take Left on Ramp which is Rte 2 North.
* Be on Left. After first signal light, enter the parking lot on Left, next to Cumberland Farms/Gulf Gas station.

[tomato]

Hello friends,

Can we pls share our fav recipes using greens on thread for everyone to enjoy and also to help us include more greens in our diet.

Thanx,

Tomato.

[bhargavi.raj]

Swiss chard subji:
swiss chard washed cleaned and chopped finely incl the stems 1 bunch
tomatoes chopped fine 1cup
onions chopped fine 1cup
garlic crushed 1tsp
masala powders
tumeric a pinch
salt
dhaniya powder 1tsp
chilli powder as much as u need
pavbhaji masala 1tsp (optional)
oil
Heat oil,add the onions and garlic, fry and add tomatoes, next add the chard along with the masalas and salt.
cook covered till done.
serve with rice/roti.
enjoy!
Bhargavi.Raj

[tomato]

Hello friends,
Can u pls share ur recipes using drumstick leaves ( guess it is called 'mungakai keerai' in tamil). I've heard it is highly nutritious.
My mom only made 'vada' with it. So I don't know how else to use it. These leaves r available to me easily in Singapore and I would like to include it in my diet regularly but I don't know any recipes using it. Ur inputs will be very helpul to me.

[nalabaagam]

Hello Gayathri & Sandhiya,

I tried collard greens porial today. It came out well.
Sandhiya I tried your recipe. But it tasted more like agathi keerai poriyal like what Gayathri said.

Thanks to both of you, I felt happy :D that I have one more greens in the recipe list.

Next in my list is mustard greens.

Regards,
Nalabaagam.

[nalabaagam]

Hi Tomato,

You can make murungai keerai poriyal or kootu. But I prefer poriyal than kootu, because poriyal made by adding shredded coconut makes it taste very good.

Murungai keerai
onions
garlic
For seasoning :
mustard, urad dhal and redchilles
salt to taste

1. Chop onions,garlic and the leaves only finely
2. Heat a little bit of oil and add the seasonings.
3. Add onions and garlic and saute well
4. Add the keerai leaves and salt to taste
5. Keep sprinkling water and close it with a lid to get it cooked.
6. Repeat this till it is cooked well.
7. Add shredded cocunut and saute.

[Kz]

Bok choy greens available in chinese markets are also tasty.

I tasted them in my friends house and liked it, just prepare them as we cook spinach poriyal, very simple.
Kz

[gkals]

Hi guys,


Yesterday i tried keerai kadaichal using water cress keerai.It came out good.It tasted like sirikeerai we get in india.I put toor dhal,water cress and half tomato and cooked in the cooker.Then seasoned with mustard,vadagam,red chille(broken),curry leaves and little crushed garlic.

enjoy
kals

[tomato]

Hi nalabaagam,
I tried the drumstick leaves poriyal it came out well :D . Thanx for the recipe. If u can pls post the recipe for the kootu u have mentioned.

hello Kz, U mentioned bok choy and spinach poriyal is it the same as durmtick leaves poriyal. If not can u pls post the recipe.

Is there a std recipe for 'keerai ' poriyal or do u prepare each kind of greens diffly?
Also if possible pls give me the english names of the diff keerais eg : agathi keerai , siri keerai ....

[nalabaagam]

Hi Tomato,

Chop the murungai keerai (drumstick keerai) leaves.
In little oil add mustard seeds, urad dal and red chillies. Let it splutter.
Add finely chopped onion and saute.
Add the chopped keerai leaves and saute slightly (too much of sauting will make it bitter - tamil it is called thuvarkara taste).
Add chopped tomatoes to the sauted onion and keerai leaves.
Boil this for 5 minutes by adding dilute tamarind water, salt, turmeric powder and sambhar powder.
Add 1 cup of cooked toor dal and mix, so that the gravy thickens.

This kootu goes well with rice.

Regards,
Nalabaagam

[nalabaagam]

Hi all,

To those who are interested about trying out keerai varieties in US in Indian style of cooking...

I recently tried mustard greens. I made kootu with paasi paruppu, it came out very well.

[R]

Hi,

Can any one suggest me recipes with celery/chinese celery other than using in soups?

thanks for yr replies in advance.

bye.

[napolims445]

i had posted this in other section also-

Hi,
Does someone know where can we get gongura seeds here in USA...I want grow them in pots for their leaves. Its been a long time since I've even seen gongura here.
Please help..
thanks

[Kz]

Hi Tomato
sorry for the late reply. U can cook bok choy and spinach just like the murunga keerai poriyal.
I do not add garlic but if u like u can add it and i dont sprinkle water as the greens itself gives water away.
I also omit grated coconut due to cholestrol reasons and i dont like the frozen coconut here.
this is the std keerai poriyal recipe and u can try this with almost all keerai.

I haven't tried vendhaya keerai poriyal, but vendhaya keerai masiyal or sambhar tastes good.

[Inimai]

I made mustard greens with pasiparupu yesterday. I t came out well.

[nalabaagam]

Inimai,

You may want to try collard greens and turnip greens poriyal.

This thread has a posting of collard greens poriyal recipe.
I tried the same recipe with turnip greens.

[Inimai]

Nalabagam,

Thanks! I will try and let u know the result.

[rajsand]

Hello everyone

I tried the watercress but it tastes bitter. I dont know if I didnt cook it properly.
Probably someone can suggest some soup varieties with greens
I know one spinach soup thats very tasty

Spinach Soup
Cut 1 bunch spinach leaves. Bring 1 cup of water to boil and add spinach,frozen sweetcorn (1/2cup), 1-2grated garlic pods, salt. Then add 1 cup milk . let it boil. Lastly add cornflour dissolved in little water.. keep stirring till it reaches a semi thick consistency.
Add salt and pepper as per requirement.
This is very quick.

Sometimes you can just mix everything and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Soup is ready.
I have not tried using other greens ..please suggest if any other variety could be done in a similar way.

I also use cut Methi leaves for Paratha, Adai, Wada, and it tastes very good when sprinkled on onion peserattu!!!

Thankyou
rajsand

[Inimai]

Has Anybody tried Carrot greens? If so, please share with us how it tastes and what type of cooking method you used.

Thanks!

[napolims445]

I have tried to make a salad from carrot greens. I found the recipe from the internet.

I do not remember the recipe in exact but here it is -
boil some water and then add salt and washed carrot greens.
Then after cooked(it should not become too soft but aldente :wink: (is the word pro chefs use)
Then drain the greens and in some sesame oil add minced garlic and saute for a while and then add greens and some sesame seeds. saute for a while adjust the salt and add some pepper.
The salad is ready.
I did not find it very tasty, but OK...

may be it could be ok if we use them in dal just the way we do with methi or palak. I have never tried it.

[Inimai]

Hi napolims445,

Thanks for the reply!

[R]

Hi,

I saw a recipe in a site based on spinach. With a few modifications, tried with swiss chard and it was quite decent. Here it is-

Take a bundle of chard; wash and cut into pieces. Use cooker to get cooked by adding salt and haldi.

Earlier, soak half a cup of white peas in water and cook it separately with salt and haldi.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, jeera, hing, urad dhal, 2 flakes of pounded garlic & 2 tbsp of peanut; saute well. Add 1 cut onion(med., size) and fry well. Once done, add mashed keerai alongwith enough salt, sambar powder and mix well. Pour quarter cup of curd or you can add more depending on how sour you want; or , finally add squeezed lime juice.

While you are cooking keerai, there must be some water; drain it separately.Take 2 tbsp of besan flour, mix it with that water and add it to keerai now. Let them boil for a couple of mts and keep aside.

Goes with rice as well as roti.

[Sowmya]

Hi all
I am sharing a couple of my mom's recipes and my favourites.

Keerai molagootal
This keerai kozhambu can be prepared using palak (the regular cold washed spinach packs available in Shoprite US) and tastes equally good with methi leaves.
This is a kerala based dish.Tastes great with steamed rice.

ingredients:

Palak -1 bunch
turmeric powder -a pinch
salt -to taste
urad dhal -1tbsp
red chillies -3-4
coconut -2 tbsp
jeera -1 tsp
cooked toor dhal -1/2 cup
coconut oil -1tsp

for masala
*******
Fry:1 tbsp urad dhal,3-4 red chillies(can add or reduce to suit your spice levels) in oil till the dhal becomes golden brown.
Grind the same with 2 tbsp coconut and jeera.

proc:
******
Chop the greens finely and boil it with a pinch of turmeric .Drain the excess water and coarse grind in blender such that the consistency is not a very fine mixture. Pressure cook toor

dhal.In a kadai pour enough oil and heat it. Add 1sp mustards and when they splutter the greens,masala and allow it to boil for a few minutes.Finally add the cooked dhal and boil

briefly.Add a tsp of coconut oil finally for a good flavour.


Keerai Chundal
*************
This is also a dish from kerala.We call it chundal cos the final product is a dry one.This dish can be prepared using any keerai variety.. methi,drumstick leaves etc.
ingredients

palak - bunch
raw rice -2 tbsp
urad dhal-1tbsp
red chillies-3-4
coconut for garnishing.

fry: rice without oil till it becomes a little brownish yellow and urad dhal and chillies with little oil till dhal becomes golden brown.
Grind this mix into a powder.
In a kadai heat oil allow mustard to splutter, add chopped keerai ,turmeric ,water and salt.Once the keerai is cooked and devoid of water add the powder and mix well.Granish with shredded

coconut.


Regds
Sowmya

[gv]

Can you tell me if beetroot leaves are edible(that comes with beetroot?)
if its edible can anyone post recipe with it?

Thanks in advance
GV

[napolims445]

hi gv,
I have used beet greens with dal just like we use palak or methi.

and as salad-
chop the beet greens and soak them in water for about 5-10 minutes so that the soil settles down. then take them out of water and rinse them and wash them till u r satisfied. and drain them of all the water.
quantity approximation- chopped greens - 2 cups
chopped onions- 1/4 - 1/2 cup (as u like it)

then mix the chopped onions and greens and add about 2-3 spoons of pudi made of roasted chana dal/puffed chana dal( do not know which is the right word but this dal is used to make coconut chutneys also) and adjust salt and khara and then add lime juice and toss/mix them well. its ready to eat. we eat this as a side dish with rice/chapathi.
Hope u like it

[Sowmya]

Hello friends
Can any of you suggest recipes with brussels sprouts,alfaalfa sprouts and dill leaves?I found these greens varieties "Pricerite" and would appreciate a response from you.
Thanks in advance
Regds
Sowmya

[tomato]

Hello friends
Can any of you suggest recipes with brussels sprouts,alfaalfa sprouts and dill leaves?I found these greens varieties "Pricerite" and would appreciate a response from you.
Thanks in advance
Regds
Sowmya

Hello Sowmya,
Dill leaves have a strong flovour. U can use it in place of corriander leaves when making chana dhal vada. U can also use it as a herb when u make macaroni and cheese.

[tomato]

Hubbers pls post some recipe using vallarai leaves.

Vallarai leaves r good for eyesight and to improve memory.

Here is a recipe of the chutney using vallarai leaves.
1/2 cup grated coconut
3-4 green chillies
1/2 tsp jeera
10 vallarai leaves
small piece of ginger
salt and tamarind to taste.

Grind all the above using very little water. This chutney should be dryish and spicy. It is usually served as an accompaniment to meals rather than with dosa or idli. If u wish to serve it with dosa/idli decrease the chilli and also adjust the consistecy by adding water.

Hope u like this simple recipe. Post post a few more recipes using Vallarai leaves.

[Niranjana]

I love Aloo Methi & Palak Paneer!

[tomato]

Niranjana,
Could u pls post the recipe of aloo methi. Methi leaves r one of my fav. I like anything made with them. :)

[Niranjana]

Well Tomato,
My mom makes this way.

2 bunches of methi leaves, cleaned and chopped finely.
3 medium sizd potatoes boiled & mashed.

A few tablespoons of refined oil

2 tsps of mustard & urad dal each.
A few broken red chilies

Salt- to taste
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Masalas -optional


In a frying pan or Kadai, add the methi leaves, salt and a lil water and stir till it is cooked. Add mashed potatos and stir, blending the two very well, add turmeric. In a separate pan, temper mustard seeds, urad dal and broken chillies and add to this.
Stir fry till done. U can also add more oil if you want for better taste.

I like it without the masalas.
I hope that's clear, Tomato.

[hehehewalrus]

Thanks a lot for all the recipes I am delighted to see this thread :D

I am also looking for some good poriyal type dishes with Vazhakkai. Anyone seen a thread for that?

[kavithasenthil]

can make methi poriyal. It goes well with sambar and curd + rice.

[napolims445]

sowmya,
here is the link...for recipe with dill leaves
http://forumhub.mayyam.com/hub/viewtopic.php?t=1898&start=0

[Sowmya]

Hi napolims
Thanks a lot.

Hi tomato
I can post a few recipes on methi if you like.

Regards
Sowmya

[hehehewalrus]

does methi refer to coriander leaves?

[napolims445]

hehehe...
is this a joke question....

[hehehewalrus]

Never mind, i just got the ans from google.
To prevent digressions heres a recipe to put this thread back on track
http://www.indiaparenting.com/cookingclub/mainrecipe.cgi?recipe_id=916&cuisine_id=7

[tomato]

Hi Sowmya,
Pls do post the recipes of methi leaves. Any Idea when is the methi leaves season. Coz it is not available now.

[tomato]

Doesn't anyone have any recipes using vallarai keerai also known as Indian pennywort. :cry:

[Kz]

Hi Tomato,

U can buy frozen methi leaves in indian stores.

I use the frozen methi leaves with chapathi. it comes in cubes. so add 1 or 2 cubes, little salt, chilli powder and chapathi flour and mix well. make the dough as usual and make chapathis as usual.
It is good for health.

U can also use methi leaves in sambhar.
make usual sambhar as u always make, add greens while sauting and add more dhal so it is thick, add more oil too so it taste yummy.
fresh methi leaves is great in sambhar. i haven't tried frozen methi leaves in sambhar.

Kz

[Sowmya]

Hi tomato

You can prepare "keerai Aviyal" with any variety... specifically the bitter tasting ones..(i don't know what raw vallarai tastes like!).Take small quantities of keerai,boil and add coconut+jeera
(ground) and curds.The quantity of the other ingredients excepting bitter variety of keerai should be on the higher side to compensate /mask the bitterness.


I am posting a recipe by Mrs.Revathi Shanmugam on vallarai.

vallarai keerai thuvayal
ingredients
vallarai keerai-1 cup
small onions(sambar onions)-1 cup
garlic-8 flakes

tamarind- a small lemon sized ball
uraddhal-2 tsp
dry red chillies-6
oil-2 tbsp

proc:
clean the greens.Fry(season) mustard,urad dhal,red chillies till golden brown.Add onions,garlic,keerai fry.Finally add tamarind,salt,fry briefly.Cool.Grind into a smooth paste.Ideal accompaniment for idli,dosa and rice.

[Sowmya]

Hi tomato
I think this recipe was given by Hemanthji.I tried it and it tasted great.So here's the same.

METHIWALE KABULI CHHOLE (Rajasthani style)
(Chick peas in Fenugreek curry)

One remarkable thing about Rajasthani recipes is, without the usage of Onions and Garlic , the dishes that are prepared are remarkably tasty .
One such dish which stole my heart is Methiwale Kabuli Chhole. (Chick peas with fenugreek leaves).
This curry is prepared both in dry and gravy version.But my suggestion is to prepare semi gravy version.If you taste this once, you would love to try this out again and again.
Enjoy this curry with Parathas, Rotis and rice.

INGREDIENTS
(two servings for a family of four)

Kabuli channa(white) 200 gms
Fenugreek leaves 2 cups
Tomato 1 large
Ginger 1" piece
Green chillies 2 nos.
Kothumalli 1/4 cup
Jeera powder 3/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp.
Garam Masala 1/2 to 3/4 tsp.
Chilli powder 1 tsp.
Asafoetida (raw) 1/2 tsp
Besan/kadalai maavu 1 tbsp
Amchur powder/Tamarind to taste
Cooking Soda 1/8 tsp. or three to four pinches.
Salt to taste


TEMPERING

Jeera 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp.
Cloves 4 to 5 nos.
Cinnamon 3 nos of 1/2 " sticks
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Mustard 3/4 tsp.
Ghee 2 to 3 ladles



METHOD OF PREPARATION

Soak channa for 6 to 8 hours in boiling water with cooking soda added to water.Then pressure cook till channa becomes properly cooked.Please ensure that the channa is really very soft.Cut tomato in small pieces.Pluck kothumalli, fenugreek and cut both very finely. Grate ginger , cut green chillies finely and set aside.Make thick liquid of Kadalai maavu in water in a cup and set aside.
Take ghee in a kadai and add tempering spices.When cloves puff up and mustard starts to crackle, add green chilliesand Ginger.Turn for a minute.Now add 1/2 spoon of Asafoetida and immediately add 2 cups of fenugreek leaves.Add salt and turn the leaves in kadai for about four to five minutes.Vendhi kirai (fenugreek leaves) would get cooked by now.Add all the dry masalas including garam masala .Turn for five seconds and add tomato pieces and turn for four to five minutes on medium to slow fire.Ensure that the tomato pieces are softened .
Now add pressure cooked kabuli channa.Mix the fenugreek masala thoroughly.Crush about 10 percent of Channas .Now add about 150 ml of water (one tumbler) and set the flame on medium and let it simmer for about seven to eight minutes.
Now add thick solution of kadalai maavu in water to the gravy along with half a spoon of raw Asafoetida powder , Amchur powder, or Tamarind extract to taste, and mix thoroughly.Add cut kothumalli and let it simmer for further three to four minutes.
Your Fenugreek Kabuli Channa is ready.Serve piping hot.


Methi Theplas (from bawarchi.com).This tastes fabulous.
Ingredients
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup gramflour
1/4 cup rice flour
1 bunch methi (fenugreek) leaves cleaned
1/2 bunch coriander leaves cleaned
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
3 green chillies crushed
2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil to shallow fry

Method

Sieve flours together. Wash and chop greens finely.
Mix all ingredients except oil to shallow fry.
Knead into a soft pliable dough using as much water as required.
Divide the dough into 10-12 parts and knead into rounds.
Roll into a chappati, about 6" in diameter with the help of some flour.
Shallowfry on a hot griddle applying some oil on both sides till done.
Repeat for all. Cool to room temperature.
Pack in foil or store in a tight-lidded container.
Eat with sweet or hot mango pickle or curds.



Will post some more later..

regds
Sowmya

[tomato]

Sowmya , Kz,
Thanks a ton for the recipes. Will surely try them out. I do make methi theplas- fol Hemanthji's recipes, it always tastes great.
The Vallarai keerai thuval looks like it will come out great. will try it out first. And since it has no coconut and all the ingredients are cooked I think it has a prolonged shelf life. Thank u Sowmya for posting the recipe.

[Sowmya]

Hi Tomato
Here is one more recipe on methi.. tried it and liked it.Found it in some website(forgot the name! :roll: )

Fenugreek Leaves-Coconut Milk

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon Mustard
Fenugreek leaves - 1 bunch
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Red Chillies - 2
Coconut Milk - 50 ml
Salt - add to taste
Turmeric powder - add to taste

Method:


Warm some oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon urad dal and a red chilli to it and wait till some of the mustard seeds pop.
Add the cleaned fenugreek leaves and fry them for a 4-5 minutes.
Add salt, turmeric and the coconut milk to the above ingredients and cook the contents of the pan for a couple more minutes.
Fry 1/2 teaspoon urad dal and 1 red chilli in little oil separately and coarsely grind them.
Add the ground powder to the contents of the pan.
Serve with hot rice and sambar/rasam.

[tomato]

Dear hubbers,
Sometime back when I went veggie shopping with one of my telugu friend I was introduced to gongura leaves. But yesterday I bought a buch of leaves which I thought were gongura but now
I see that they r not. Here is the pic .

http://www.myristica.it/foto/MC18_10.html

Has any of you used these leaves before? What is it called? And what to do with it ? :roll:

[kavithasenthil]

hi tomato,
y don't u pm mr.iddiapam regarding ur query?

[tomato]

hi tomato,
y don't u pm mr.iddiapam regarding ur query?


Good idea. Thank you for the suggestion, I do that.

[napolims445]

Tomato,
That is gongura leaves...
Gongura's scientific name is Hibiscus sabdariffa..

Hope this helps..

[Idiappam]

Sorry Tomato for responding so late! I got your PM.

Gongura (pulichakeerai - in Tamil) is Hibiscus cannabinus. The close 'cousin', Hibiscus sabdariffa, resembles in appearance, probably in taste and texture too.

I have not seen the pulichakeerai (H. cannabinus) in cultivation here, hence I cant tell much about the physical differences between the two plants

H. sabdariffa, I have seen growing here, do have sour leaves, and they look the same as H. cannabinus greens that I have seen in the market.

You can google images on both the Bot. names of these two plants for another comparison.

If you really don't mind the slight difference there may be, H. sabdariffa can be a good subsitute for the original pulichakeerai (H. cannabinus). It is safe to eat!

Take a look at these pages:
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/cgi/gallery_query?q=hibiscus
click on the name to go to images.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/traug99b.htm

[malligai]

I never knew that i have to know the Botanical terms for 'pulichakeerai' before i cook it :lol: [though i have not cooked it in my entire life] :lol: :lol:

the only Hibiscus i know is the big, pink flower... :D

[Idiappam]

Plants don't care what we call them. So you don't have to know the Botanical names to cook and eat them. But just to get to the right thing on the web, botanical names become very useful. Then you can find and lay your hands on them in places where they may be rare.

The big red Hibiscus also of the same genus is Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. Vendakkai - Ladies' finger belongs to the same genus too.

Amma Malligai, aaki vaiyamma vanthu oru vettu vetturen!

[hehehewalrus]

ladies finger species is esculentes. ah yep, now i remember that the genus is hibiscus as well.
thanks for refreshing my 92-93 memories :)

[rajraj]

malligai: If you go to a nursery in the US and want them to get you any tropical plant, it helps to know the botanical name. Once we asked a nursery to order kanagambaram for us showing a sample ( a twig). They gave us the botanical name to use if we went to other nurseries.

[Sowmya]

Hi Mr.Idiappam
Thanks a lot for that detailed explanation..
I have a list(short :?: ) of keerai names in tamil and can I request you to help me get the english/botanical names of the same when you are free?Will send you the names after hearing from you.

Regards
Sowmya

[Sowmya]

Vaazhga botany!

[malligai]

Hi Mr.Idiappam
Thanks a lot for that detailed explanation..
I have a list(short :?: ) of keerai names in tamil and can I request you to help me get the english/botanical names of the same when you are free?Will send you the names after hearing from you.

Regards
Sowmya

Hii Mr Idiappam,

I have a list too..can i post it here?? :lol:

[tomato]

Sorry Tomato for responding so late! I got your PM.

Gongura (pulichakeerai - in Tamil) is Hibiscus cannabinus. The close 'cousin', Hibiscus sabdariffa, resembles in appearance, probably in taste and texture too.

I have not seen the pulichakeerai (H. cannabinus) in cultivation here, hence I cant tell much about the physical differences between the two plants

H. sabdariffa, I have seen growing here, do have sour leaves, and they look the same as H. cannabinus greens that I have seen in the market.


Thank you very much Idiappam.




You can google images on both the Bot. names of these two plants for another comparison.

I've done that and my search result tallies exactly with what u have said.




If you really don't mind the slight difference there may be, H. sabdariffa can be a good subsitute for the original pulichakeerai (H. cannabinus). It is safe to eat!

Thank you for confirming that :) I had serious doubt regarding eating it, cos even after searching on google I did not find much info on cooking the leaves.




Take a look at these pages:
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/cgi/gallery_query?q=hibiscus
click on the name to go to images.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/traug99b.htm

Thank you once again.

[Idiappam]

Malligai asked:


Hii Mr Idiappam,
I have a list too..can i post it here??

Arelo, arelo! YOu don't need my permission to post here. Enna kindal thaane!

[tomato]

Hi tomato

You can prepare "keerai Aviyal" with any variety... specifically the bitter tasting ones..(i don't know what raw vallarai tastes like!).Take small quantities of keerai,boil and add coconut+jeera
(ground) and curds.The quantity of the other ingredients excepting bitter variety of keerai should be on the higher side to compensate /mask the bitterness.


I am posting a recipe by Mrs.Revathi Shanmugam on vallarai.

vallarai keerai thuvayal
ingredients
vallarai keerai-1 cup
small onions(sambar onions)-1 cup
garlic-8 flakes

tamarind- a small lemon sized ball
uraddhal-2 tsp
dry red chillies-6
oil-2 tbsp

proc:
clean the greens.Fry(season) mustard,urad dhal,red chillies till golden brown.Add onions,garlic,keerai fry.Finally add tamarind,salt,fry briefly.Cool.Grind into a smooth paste.Ideal accompaniment for idli,dosa and rice.


Sowmya,
I tried this vallari thuvayal. And I must say it was simply superb. Thank you posting the recipe. Do give it a try, it tastes simply divine with idlis.
I followed the recipe exactly, except that I added tiny bit of jagerry while grinding it. This I did cos I thought that the thuvayal was too spicy but I guess that the spiciness does mellow down after a while. one more alteration would be to add 2 cups of vallari keerai, which I'll try next time.

[padmasini]

Do we get vallarai keerai in the US? If so please let me know the name in American stores.

[Sowmya]

Hi all
Here is a recipe by Mrs.RS.I tried it and loved the taste.so here's the same for methi lovers.
methi kuzhambu

ingredients
methi -small bunches-4
small onions(sambar onions)-1 cup
garlic-1/2 cup
tamarind-a small lemon sized ball
tomatoes-4
chilli powder-3 tsp
coriander powder-1 tsp
turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
salt-as reqd
mustard,jeera,saunf,methi seeds-1/2 tsp each
oil-2 tbsp

proc:
Clean the methi greens thoroughly and cut finely.In a kadai season mustard,jeera,saunf,methi seeds.Add the sliced onions,garlic,greens,tomatoes in the given order after making sure that each ingredient is well sauted before adding the next.Add salt,coriander powder,turmeric and chilli powder and after the raw smell disappears add the tamarind extract,boil for 5 mins.

This is a good accompaniment for rice,idlies and dosas.

[Kz]

What is sampagi soppu( greens) called in english. i think it is called sampagi soppu in kannada, but i am not sure, i would like to know what greens it is, my friend told me that it is available in indian grocery shops like patel.
Thankyou
Kz