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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Vallarai keerai Thuvayal or chutney ( Bacopa or Brahmi Chutney)

Today in the market I got fresh Vallarai keerai, a wonder leaf well known as Bacopa in English, Brahmi in hindi and Mandukabrahami in telugu .In my last blog , I was mentioning about food as medicine. In that list this green has an important place. It has the potential to enhance intellect by enhancing memory development, learning and concentration. Kashayam made out of it is called brain tonic in Ayurvedic medicine. I have heard people telling that the vallarai leaves are excellent for nerves. Usually in our street during exam days the ladies selling greens will bring lot of this keerai and will canvas to buy this telling ‘during exam time remembering capacity will increase’.Today while I was making this thuvayal,my maid told that she will prepare this frequently to give it to her son who used to get fits often.so I guess this will be good for that also. In chettinad they make a nice thuvayal or chutney out of vallarai keerai which tastes yummy both with rice and Tiffin.To make people identify the keerai,I have placed a clear snap of the green alone
Ingredients
Vallarai keerai-2 cups(leaves alone)
Small onion-20
Red chillies-3 or 4
Grated coconut-3 table spoons
Tamarind-little
Jaggery-a pinch(optional)

Method
Keep the kadai in the stove .In one table spoon oil add 1 teaspoon urudh dhal. When they turn golden brown add the chilies, onion, grated coconut and the green and sauté nicely till the green looses the green smell. Switch off the stove .Add the salt needed and the tamarind. After the mixture cools down grind it to a smooth paste using a mixie. In the end add the jaggery if desired and grind one round more.It will remove the little bitter taste of the green.If desired the thuvayal can be seasoned with ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon urudh dhal

24 comments:

Revathi said...

Thats is a superbbb thovayal. My dad used to say that it is in the shape of the brain to indicate its good for the brain !

Cham said...

Wow, the first pict is great , i can identify and remember the keerai, not frequently made in my home. In US, i guess only way to substitute this wonderful natural treasure by any other :( Wonderful Thovayal :)

Unknown said...

Thanks for this lovely recipe..First time to ur blog..U have nice tamil recipes..

Solai Chidambaram said...

Thank you Revathi,Cham and divya

Devi said...

Hi Solai,
I tried this thuvayal and it was brilliant.
Great recipe! You have some really yummy recipes in your blog!

Jen Kumar said...

I really would love to eat this, but in US I have not found this brahmi as a leaf. Is it possible to use brahmi powder as a spice in a dhal dish?

Unknown said...

Hi Solai,i came across your blog today just like that, when i was searching for vallarai keerai receipe and i felt very very happy to know that it was you.Iam meena from Singapore(mama's daughter).Please convey my regards to Annan and all at home.In future i shall refer to your receipes when i want to make something special.

Solai Chidambaram said...

oh Great to see you here Meena.I thought You would be knowing abt this blog.i started writing this blog for Divya.But now I am happy that it is useful to many.Hope the kids are fine

vivek said...

Brahmi is different from vallarai. Brahmi grows in marshy soil and is also good for the brain

Solai Chidambaram said...

Oh is it so Vivek,May be I am wrong.I browsed in the net and understood both are same.If you are sure thankyou for the information

Unknown said...

ya this is a wonderful herb..
i also prepare juice out of it.
just wash the leaves and grind it in mixy to make a juice of it. then add the same to lemon juice (water, lemon, sugar, cardmam pwdr). the cool green colour makes it a tempting healthy cold drink).

Solai Chidambaram said...

thankyou deepa for giving a juice recipe with this wonder leaf

sujaa said...

i did this thovayal today and it was awesome, even my kids enjoyed it very much.it was really cool to eat something so healthy made in a tasty way.usually health and taste dont go together, but u broke the rule. kuddos to you !!

Unknown said...

Hi
I tried it today and everybody loved it. Thanks for posting such nutritious and delicious recipe.

SAM said...

Aachi,

I have tried many of your recipes and all have turned out well. I made this chutney too. Yesterday, I used this chutney as a spread on home-made pizza along with some tomato sauce. It added a nice Indian touch to the pizza.

Thank you for the great recipes.

DR.HEMA said...

hello, this is Dr.Hema,vallarai is centalla asiatica which is different from brami, Bacoba monneri.

Solai Chidambaram said...

Thankyou Hema for the correction.

lavanya said...

Hi aunty, i have a doubt...when u fry that gr leaves in oil wont it lose it nutrients.....kindly response....i want to try this and give to my 5 yr old daughter....

Solai Chidambaram said...

you are right lavanya.some of its nutrients will be lost while frying.But we have to make it eatable right.Especially children dont like its raw smell.so I think we should have to sacrifice some nutrients for the sake of taste.

lavanya said...

hello aunty thanks a lot for ur response...i made the chutney and also added two cloves of garlic and it really came well with hot rice and ghee. my family esp my daughter loved it and asked for more............can we make other gr leaves the same way....pls help...

Solai Chidambaram said...

We make coriander,mint and curry leaf chutny using green leaves.Vallarai is the other one I have tried.Thoothuvalai chutny also I have made which is a wonder grug for cold.Even in India we very rarely get that.even if we get it is very difficult to clean as it is full of thorns.So not even dreamt of posting the recipe.

lavanya said...

HELLO Aunty,

spl receipe for u. i tried the same chutney with manathakkali keerai and it was awesome..u also try and u wont get the bitter taste...thank u....

Unknown said...

Thanks for this lovely recipe..First time to ur blog..U have nice tamil recipes..

Unknown said...

Hi Thank you for a good recipe. I found vallarai in asian store here in US under the name 'Pennywort'. In internet it is given that pennywort is vallarai. The shape of the leaf is same as your picture.

Thank you once again for a yummy recepie