Curry leaf- bits of leaves that flavour our food – A queen herb that she is… Our major ingredient in our series of lactation recipes. These little innocuous leaves which are stuffed into our shopping bag by the vegetable seller for free is a boon to the nursing mother. This leaf is a great healer and is a native of India. Its origin and use in cooking dates back to the 1st century AD. During cooking these crushed leaves release an aromatic essential oil that is anti-bacterial and antifungal in nature. This property makes it an important part of the lactating mothers’ diet.
These leaves aid in the proper functioning of the digestive system and are loaded with Vitamins and minerals. The high concentration of Vitamin A provides the newborn with the required quantity of this essential vitamin through breast milk. The leaves are packed with minerals such as iron, calcium, and phosphorus. A point to remember is that Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and requires oil or fat as a vehicle for absorption. During cooking one has to keep this in mind and add the leaves to hot oil so that the vitamin seep into the oil and enters our system. Alternatively, the presence of oil in the food can also help in effective absorption. Today’s recipe features curry leaves transformed into a tasty chutney or “thogayal”
Karuveppilai Thogayal Recipe
Ingredients for Karuveppilai Thogayal:
- Curry leaves – 1 cup
- Garlic – 10 single-bulb pods
- Small onions – 10
- Blach gram whole – 2 tbsp
- Pepper – 2 tsp
- Tamarind – The size of a marble
- Asafoetida – A pinch
- Sesame oil – 2 tbsps
Preparation Method for Karuveppilai Thogayal:
- Heat oil, add pepper and black gram along with tamarind and garlic.
- Fry till the pepper turns light brown. Add in the asafoetida, and curry leaves and lightly sauté. Turn off the flame. Add in the onions. Stir and allow to cool.
- Grind with the required salt without adding water to a coarse paste. A sprinkle of water if necessary is fine.
- Take hot cooked rice, add a generous quantity of sesame oil, and the thogayal. Mix well.
- Along with a sautéed vegetable this makes an excellent meal for the nursing mother.
- This thogayal is a good accompaniment for rice kanji too.
