kalakkalsamayal: Ammaan-Pacharisi-Thuvaiyal

#AmmaanPacharisiThuvaiyal #AsthmaPlantChutney :
I have seen plenty of #ammaanpacharisi plants growing wildly in my garden and thought it is a useless weed. When the stem is being plucked, a thick white liquid just like milk oozes out. I have read some where that this milk, if applied on skin tags continuously, tags would disappear or fall off. Other than that I don't know anything about ammaan pacharisi plant.
Recently I came across an article showing variety of commonly growing plants in and around us and its health & medicinal properties.
I learnt that ammaan pacharisi is known as #AsthmaPlant in English and it is very good in treating problems related to our respiratory system.

#AmmaanPacharisi names in different languages

Botanical Name : Euphorbia hirta
English Name : Asthma plant or Common spurge or Cats hair or Garden spurge or Tawa-tawa
Hindi Name : Bada dudhi
Uses : Asthma, respiratory problem and respiratory tract inflammation
Lungs problem, Gastrointestinal disorder, diarrhoea, malaria and dengue fever.

I searched web world whether these leaves can be used in the preparation of any tasty dish or only as a herb to treat medicinal problem. I found some videos showing recipes for chutney from these leaves and also in dhal [ lentils ]. So I made a tasty tasty thuvaiyal [ chutney ] in my own way by adding lentils and other condiments.
Pluck the tender branches along with stem and flower bunches.

Ingredients :
20 - 25	Ammaan pacharisi leaves cleaned
2 - 3	Red chilly [ adjust ]
1 Tsp	Black gram
1 1/2 Tsp	Horse gram
3 - 4 Tbsp	Coconut scrapings
Small piece	Asafoetida
1/2 Tsp	Flax seed
1 Tsp	Ginger chopped [ optional ]
6 -10	Black pepper corns
1/4 Tsp	Coriander seeds [ optional ]
2 Tsp	Lemon juice [ adjust ]
1 Tsp	Salt [ adjust ]
2 Tsp	Gingelly oil [ till / sesame oil ]

Method :
Clean amman pacharisi leaves in water two or three times.
Drain the water and set aside.

Heat a kadai with half a teaspoon of oil on slow flame.
Add red chilly and asafoetida piece once oil starts fuming.
Fry red chilly till its color changes to dark red.
Remove and place it on a dry plate.

Then add coriander seeds in the same kadai.
Fry coriander seed till it gives out nice aroma.
Transfer on to the plate.
Fry black pepper also in the same way and remove.

Now add half a teaspoon of oil and then add black gram.
Keep stirring for a minute and then add horse gram.
Continuously stir till black gram turns golden brown and horse gram starts crackling.
Transfer on to the plate.

Roast flax seeds till it crackles and transfer to the plate.

Finally saute ammaan pacharisi leaves and ginger pieces well.
Transfer on to the plate.

Allow them to cool down to room temperature.

Now take all the roasted ingredients into a mixie jar along with salt and coconut scrapings.
Grind into a smooth paste adding lemon juice and water.
Adjust salt and Transfer into a serving bowl.

A very good accompaniment for tiffins like Upma,

Pongal, Rice Sundal,

idli and dosai.

This chutney can also be mixed with hot white rice along with a dash of gingelly oil [ sesame/till oil ] and relished with sambar or any favorite vegetable curry of ones choice.