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

Manathakkali-Keerai-Koottu

 #ManathakkaliKeeraiKoottu  #ManathakkaliKeeraiLentil :

#ManathakkaliKeerai is a medicinal plant which grows as a weed in fields, wooded areas, parks and along road sides in villages. It is also cultivated for its seeds and green leafy vegetables [ Greens ]. There are many varieties of manathakkali plants. The leaves of some plants are tender, deep green in color and less bitter in taste. These leaves are tastier than the other varieties and its image is shown below. Some plants have thick and serrated leaves with hairs, dull green in color and slightly more bitter in taste. The flowers are white in color. Usually the vegetables [ manathakkali ] are green in color with a green lampshade like structure at the top near the stem and fruits are black in color. There are some varieties whose fruits are orange in color.

The unripe fruits and fruits are called manathakkali. They are dried in the Sun and sold in the grocery shops as manathakkali vathal.

It is called Black Nightshade or Blackberry Nightshade in English.

The scientific name is Solanum nigrum.

The leaf - keerai is widely used in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the best remedies for mouth ulcers and stomach ulcers as well. We used to prepare a dish called manathakkali keerai paal saaru [ kazhani saaru ] regularly at home for lunch in which the leaves are cooked soft and coconut milk is added. This is specially made at home whenever a family member or members are suffering from mouth ulcers. The mouth ulcers are cured more effectively if the leaves are eaten raw. 

Manathakkali keerai is called Kasi soppu in Kannada. It is widely sold in the markets of Bangalore and Mysuru. But a very limited number of people consume them as greens at home. I have heard vegetable vendors saying that kasi soppu is being bought mainly by the people of Tamil origin and others use it sparingly.

Here in Chittaranjan also the people are not consuming this wonderful healthy leaves. They never knew that manathakkali keerai belongs to green leafy vegetable and can be eaten just like any other greens. We have seen these plants along the road side and also as wild growth in the backyard of our house. We have uprooted & planted them in our vegetable garden and have been reaping its benefits.

 Manathakkali is a rich source of vitamins such as vitamin A, B and C and minerals like iron, calcium, phophorous and magnesium. As I have mentioned earlier these leaves are more effective than any other medicine for mouth and stomach ulcers.

A tasty koottu can be prepared from #manathakkaliKeerai just the same way as we do with other greens adding cooked green gram and coconut paste.

Preparation time                  : 10 mins

Cooking Time                     : 10 mins

Quantity prepared               : 1 cup approx.

Ingredients :
1 Cup	Manathakkali keerai 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 :

Take Green gram in 3 liter pressure cooker and rinse well.

Add 3/4 Cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder [ I have used 1/4 Tsp of finely chopped turmeric tuber ].

Close the cooker with its lid and put the weight on.

Cook on HIGH flame for 3 whistles or after one whistle reduce the flame to SIM & cook for 5 minutes.

Open the cooker only after it ran out of steam.

Transfer into a bowl and keep aside.

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

In the same cooker now add 1/3 cup of water, Sambar Powder, turmeric powder, chopped manathakkali keerai and salt.

Close the pressure cooker with weight on.

Pressure cook on HIGH flame for 2 whistles.

Turn off the stove and immediately release the pressure slowly and open it.

Add cooked green gram and coconut paste.

Mix well and allow to simmer for 3 - 4 minutes.

Koottu is ready and transfer into a serving bowl.

Heat a kadai with oil on a stove over medium flame.

Fry Vengaya vadavam and pour over the koottu in the serving bowl.

#ManathakkaliKeeraiKoottu is a great accompaniment to sambar rice or rasam rice.

ManathakkaliKeerai Koottu can also be mixed with hot white rice and relished along with 

any poriyal or kara curry 

or pickle

You may also like to try

Manathakkali keerai Rice

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

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Varieties

For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index

Vazhaipoo-Kothamalli-Lentil

#VazhaipooKothamalliLentil  #BananaFlowerCorianderLeafLentil : We should try to take all six tastes in our daily diet. They are sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, salty and astringent. #Vazhaipoo [ #BananaBlossom or #BananaFlower ] is one of the best vegetables having astringent taste. Usually the astringent taste becomes milder in the inner part of the banana flower compared to the outer ones. Here the tender inner bunch of florets have been taken as it is less astringent and suitable to prepare #lentil. Even the bracts that cover the bunch of florets can also be used as it is tender. Coriander leaves are also included to get the desired taste and aroma. The tender banana flowers take very less time to cook. If all the ingredients are ready then #lentil [ #Koottu ] can be prepared within ten minutes. Now to the recipe

Ingredients :
1/3 Cup	Green gram split cooked
1/3 Cup	Vazhaipoo [ Banana flower ] chopped
1/4 Cup	Coriander leaves chopped
1 small size	Onion chop nicely
1 clove	Garlic chop nicely
1/2 Tsp	Sambar powder [ Adjust ]
1 pinch	Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
1/2 Tsp	Oil
1/2 Tsp	Vengaya Vadavam
Things to Grind :
3 to 4 Tsp	Coconut scrapped
1/8 TSp	Cumin seeds
1/8 Tsp	Rice flour
2 to 3	Black pepper

Method :
Grind the given ingredients into a smooth paste using a blender adding little water.
Transfer into a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a heavy bottomed vessel/kadai on a stove over medium flame.
Add 1/4 cup of water, sambar powder, turmeric powder and salt.
When the liquid starts boiling, add chopped vazhaipoo, chopped onion and garlic.
Close with a lid and cook for 2 minutes.
Now open the lid, add cooked lentil, chopped coriander leaves and the coconut paste.
Mix well and adjust salt.
Allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

Tasty and aromatic #VazhaipooKothamalliLentil is ready.
Transfer into a serving bowl.

Heat a kadai with oil on a stove over medium heat.
Fry vengaya vadavam and pour over the lentil.

Goes well with white rice mixed with sambar or rasam.
It can also be mixed with hot white rice and relished with any curry of your choice.

You might like to try

Vazhaipoo Paruppu usili

Vazhaipoo kuzhambu

Vazhaipoo kodipasalai adai

Vazhaipoo masaal vadai

Vazhaipoo milagu kuzhambu

Vazhaipoo murungaikeerai koottu

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Varieties

For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index