Saturday 18 August 2007

Vallarai Thogayal (Chutney)

I was enjoying my vacation until last week and was happily posting recipes. Now back to square one...have put on my wings. In a day, I get hardly 12 hours to spend at home. Out of which 7-8 hours goes in sleep. In the remaining 4 hours (morning 2 hours and evening 2 hours) I get to do all other things.

I know, I could hear you saying - "So ? What are you trying to say ?"

Just a refinement in the frequency of my posts. I will be posting every Saturday. I will try my best to check my fellow bloggers posts alternate days.

Now coming to Vallarai Thogayal, I was clueless of its English Name.

Googled and found it as Gotu Kola. I am not sure how many of you would have heard the name.

The botanical name is Centella asiatica.Common names include Gotu Kola, Asiatic Pennywort, Antanan, Pegaga, Kula kud and Brahmi (although this last name is shared with Bacopa monnieri and other herbs). It is used as a medicinal herb in Ayurvedic medicine.

Source: Wikipedia

My mom prepares this often. She insists us ( I guess everyone would have been fussy when they were kids) to have it saying it is good for memory power. When I read the article in Wikipedia I learnt that there are more goodness associated with it.

Very simple thogayal. You can mix with rice or have it as side dish to dosa/idli.

Ingredients:
Vallarai Keerai - 1 Bunch
Tamarind - 1/2 of Lemon size.
Red Chilli - 4
Urad Dhal - 2 Tsp
Oil - 2 Tsp
Salt - As required



Method:

  1. Heat oil in a pan and fry red chilli, urad dhal and tamarind.
  2. Clean the Vallarai keerai, remove the steam and dry fry it until the water evaporates.
  3. Grind everything together with salt, sprinkling water inbetween.Don't add too much of water, it should be a thick paste.
  4. Store it in a container. It will last for a week if refrigerated.

Nutritional Facts:

  • Vallarai - Active Ingredients are Bacoside A and B. Bacoside A allow blood to flow more freely through the body.Bacoside B is a protein attributed to nourishing the brain cells.
  • Check out Wikipedia for more...

Award:
I have been given 'Blogging Community Involvement' Award

by TBC and Archana



The Power of Schmooze Award is for bloggers who "effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don't limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello - all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship."

Thanks girls for such a nice award. I would like to dedicate this to all my fellow bloggers. I would like to Thank Asha here. She is the one who first dropped in a comment in my blog which boosted me up and kept me going. Many Thanks to all other fellow bloggers and viewers.


Have a great weekend !

33 comments:

Viji said...

such a nutritious one SeeC. Good for memory. We used to have at our garden during childhood days. Viji

TBC said...

I have never made this kind of a chutney before. Nice recipe.
I was wondering where you had disappeared and why there were no new posts:-)
Reg your question about my pooris, I wanted to use whole wheat flour but did not have any, so I used All Purpose Flour.

Laavanya said...

I remember vallarai tablet advertisements on the radio when I was growing up. Thogaiyal looks delicious Seec and congrats on the award! :)

bee said...

thank you for your introduction to this new veggie. i have added you to our blogroll.

Chef Jeena said...

Hi Seec nice recipe I bet it tasted nice. I don't know tis plant either but it sure looks nice. :)

Coffee said...

Never mind dear Seec..... blog at your own convenience. :)

Never seen this kinda chutney before! Lovely green colour! :)

sra said...

I've seen this in the store but never knew what to do with it, am going shopping now, will see if I can get it.

Lia said...

its seem new for me, but really interesting and sound taste good :)

Latha Narasimhan said...

Dear SeeC, :D! Could'nt control my amusement after seeing soooooooooo many of your comments in my blog.
I did'nt want to disturb you.
My best wishes for sucessful completion of your project.

Nice Thogayal recipe.Thanks for posting the nutritional facts.
Thank God ! no need to type those letters!

Roopa said...

Brahmi I love this leaves, we make even rasam with buttermilk. great one. BTW you have an award to pick up check it out :)

Home Cooking said...

wow, absolutely new for me. its sure so nice.

Retno Prihadana said...

This kind of leaves are new for me. Thanks to introducing veggie food. Looks healthy.

Suganya said...

My mom used to make me eat this bcoz it aids in memory power. I love it when it is made in milagu kozhambu style.
I have seen this green in an Asian store. But not sure though. Thanks for the pic, its been ages since I saw this keerai!

Sharmi said...

I used to have them in India. lucky you , cant find it in my place. its very good for health right??

Anonymous said...

Nice recipe SeeC. We make a chutney/tambli with brahmi leaves. Back home, these grow in abundance in our garden. Its such a nutritious hearb. Thanks for the recipe.

Prema Sundar said...

yeah they say vallarai keerai is very good for memory.do u get it there in uk???
the thogayal looks nice.

Lakshmi said...

Hi SeeC, I remember seeing this keerai in some indian store. Thanks for that wonderfull recipe and usefull info. Now I know how usefull it is for memory power will definitely try it. Being a mom I have all reasons to (fuss?) feed my son. :))

Kajal said...

Very nice idea and new idea for chutney.....Really rock...:)))

zlamushka said...

Hi SeeC,

Wonderful dish. I love green color, always adds a nice touch to the dish visage...

I have a little surprise for you ;-) Wanna know what? Click here :

http://www.burntmouth.com/2007/08/wedding-engagement-and-more-blogging.html

Richa said...

those greens are new to me, good to know @ it! congrats on the award, enjoy...

swapna susarla said...

Hi Seec
congratulations for the award!!!

Thistlemoon said...

We will enjoy your posts as often as we can get them!

Tee said...

Hey Seec, great recipe! I doubt if I will find fresh brahmi here in the US...congrats on the awards and you will be happy to know that are more of these for you. Check out my blog! :)

Sia said...

wow...i got to learn another dish using brahmi. as a child i hated when my mom n granny asked me to eat brahmi leaves:)

Chef Jeena said...

Hi Seec I have tagged you for a meme check out my blog for more. :)

zlamushka said...

Hey hey, girl,


you haven´t been here for a while. I just wanted to let you know that I have left a little present for you at my website. Have a look here:

http://www.burntmouth.com/2007/08/celebrating-my-first-meme-with-cuban.html

Helen said...

Hi! I love reading about your vibrant cooking and so I've tagged you for a meme! I hope you don't mind, Helen.

themoodyfoodie.blogspot.com/2007/09/tagged.html

SeeC said...

I know an acknowledging lately...apologies.


Thanks Viji, Very nice to learn about your garden.

Thanks TBC. So nice of you :)
Thanks for your response about pooris.
Try this one. Very nutritious.


Thanks Laavanya. Yeah you are right !

Thanks Bee. I am privileged.

Thanks Jeena.

Thanks Coffee. Very encouraging.

Thanks Sra. Hope you had tried it.

Thanks Lia.

Thanks Latha.
Pleasure is mine.
Thanks much for your wishes too.

Thanks Roopa, I never knew about making rasam with this.
Thanks for the award :)

SeeC said...

Thanks Isha.

Thanks Retno for stopping by.

Thanks Suganya. I too should try it in milagu kozhambu style.

Thanks Sharmi. Yeah it is very nutritious.
We are lucky and we get it in most of indian stores.

Thanks Shilpa. Nice to hear about your garden.
Garden growns are more delicious isn't it.

Thanks Prema. Yeah we get it in most of the indian stores.


Thanks Taste of Mysore. Do try it and let me know.

Thanks Kajal.

Thanks Zlamushka. So nice of you to pass on the
Rocking Girl Blogger award :)
I am really privileged.

Thanks Richa.

SeeC said...

Thanks Swapna.

Thanks Jenndz :)

Thanks Tee.
Thanks for passing on the two awards to me:)

Thanks Sia. The same here :)

Thanks Jeena for tagging me.
I have already done it and could you please check it out here
http://ensamayalarai.blogspot.com/2007/07/pumpkin-halwa-meme.html

Thanks Zlamushka.
So nice of you to remember me.
I have dropped my comments in your blog :)


Thanks Helen for stopping by and for tagging me.
I have already done it and could you please check it out here
http://ensamayalarai.blogspot.com/2007/07/pumpkin-halwa-meme.html

Chef Jeena said...

Hi Seec thankyou for your comment :) I tried your link but it wouldn't work..

Rabbit said...

Hello there! I'm growing a couple of Gotu Kola plants in my backyard.

I'm still propagating them although I am planning to throw some leaves into a salad because I've read of the benefits of eating the plant (like increasing IQ).

You seem to have some experience eating the herb. How does it taste like? I'm afraid to start eating it because I heard that it tastes awful.

SeeC said...

Hi Cianoy,
Thanks for visiting.
It tastes good with tamarind and chilli.
You should definitely try.