Jute_Leaf_in_Cooking

 #JuteLeafinCooking :

Last week my husband came with a big bunch of green leafy vegetables from the vegetable market. When he bought that bunch, he thought that it was amaranth green [ mulai keerai ]. But he had a doubt as the leaves were not looking like amaranth leaves. The edges of the leaves were not smooth. The leaves were oblong in shape with pointed tips. Just then our milk man came to deliver milk. When my husband asked him, he told the local name of the green. Then he elaborated that ropes were being made from the plant. We vaguely understood that the leaves might be that of Jute. We searched the web world to confirm it. Yes, it was Jute leaf and I saw some videos to make sure.

Whenever I try to consume a new type of greens I always used to prepare koottu from it. The same way I made koottu and the taste was good and they didn't have any distinct flavour. The texture of the leaves after cooking was slippery just like that of Spinach [ Kodi pasalai keerai ].

Later I found out that the leaves are being widely consumed by the people of West Bengal, India and they used to prepare tasty dal [ Lentil ].

I learned from the web world that Jute leaf contains mucilage, considered as a detoxifying agent and also a rich source of soluble fiber.

It contains Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Calcium, copper, folate, iron, manganese, magnesium,niacin, potassium, thiamin and zinc.

Here I would like to show two recipes where I have included Jute Leaf. They are :

1. Jute Leaf Koottu
2. Jute Leaf Dal

Preparation time                  : 10 mins

Cooking Time                     : 10 mins

Quantity prepared               : 1 cup approx.

Both the recipes need cooked green gram. To cook green gram split :

Take 1/3 cup of Green gram split in a pressure cooker. 

Rinse once with water and add slightly more than half a cup of water & a pinch of turmeric powder. 

Pressure cook on HIGH flame for three whistles and reduce the flame to SIM and cook for 3 minutes. 

Open the pressure cooker only after it ran out of steam.

1. Jute Leaf Koottu :

Ingredients for koottu :
1 Cup	Jute Leaves chopped
1/3 Cup	Green gram split
3/4 Tsp	Sambar Powder
1 pinch	Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
To Grind :
4 Tsp	Coconut scrapings
1/4 Tsp	Cumin seeds
3 - 4	Black pepper
2 pinch	Rice flour
Tempering : :
1/2 Tsp	Vengaya vadavam
1/2 Tsp	Cooking Oil

Method :

Grind coconut scrapings, cumin seed, black pepper and rice flour into a fine paste in a mixie [ blender ] and keep aside.

Cook green gram split as per method given above.

Heat a kadai or heavy bottom vessel on a stove over medium heat.

Add 1/3 cup of water, Sambar Powder, turmeric powder, chopped Jute leaves and salt.

Bring them into boil and reduce the flame.

Keep the kadai closed to cook jute leaves soft.

Add cooked green gram and coconut paste once the leaves are well cooked.

Mix well and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Transfer into a serving bowl.

Fry Vengaya vadavam in another kadai with half a teaspoon of oil.

Pour over the prepared Jute Leaf koottu.

Jute Leaf Koottu can be mixed with hot white rice and relished along with any spicy curry.

The koottu is a great accompaniment to rice mixed with either Sambar or Rasam.

2. Jute Leaf Dal :

Ingredients for Dal :
1 Cup	Jute Leaves chopped
1/3 Cup	Green gram split
1/4 Tsp	Asafoetida
1 pinch	Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
1	Onion, chop nicely
1 - 2	Green chilly, slit
1	Tomato, chop
6 - 8	Curry leaves
Tempering :
1/2 Tsp	Mustard seed
1/2 Tsp	Black gram split
1 Tsp	Cooking Oil

Method :

Cook green gram split in a pressure cooker following the method given above.

Chop onion, tomato and Jute leaves nicely and slit green chilly lengthwise.

Heat a kadai with 1 Tsp of oil on a stove over medium heat.

Crackle mustard seeds and then add black gram split.

Keep stirring until black gram turns golden brown.

Then add asafoetida, green chilly, curry leaves and onion in the order.

Saute for a minute and then add tomato.

Saute for a minute and include chopped Jute leaves.

Stir well and saute for a minute.

Now add cooked green gram, 1/4 cup of water & salt. Let it simmer for 4 - 5 minutes or until jute leaves cook soft.

Transfer into a serving bowl.

Jute Leaf Dal can be mixed with hot white rice and relished along with Sambar or any spicy curry

You may also like to try

Manathakkali keerai Koottu

Murungai keerai paal saaru

Noolkhol leaf lentil

Manathakkali keerai paal saru [ Kazhani Saru ]

Vazhaipoo Koottu

vegetable pulillacurry

Manathakkali keerai Rice

Palak Koottu [ Palak Lentil ]

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index