Bacchali kura chintakaya pulusu (Malabar spinach pulusu with green tamarind pulp)

Tamarind is grown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand and Indian Subcontinent.

It is cultivated all over India. Tamarind is a very large tree with long, heavy drooping branches and dense foliage.

The fruit pulp is edible.  It is used in South Indian cooking to make chutneys, dal and sambar etc. The hard green pulp of a young fruit is sour, and is often used as a component of savory dishes, as a pickling agent etc.

Its sticky pulp is a good source of dietary fiber which binds to toxins in the food thereby help protect the colon mucus membrane from cancer causing chemicals.

Tamarind is rich in tartaric acid which gives sour taste to food and is a powerful antioxidant.

Tamarind pulp is used in many traditional medicines as a laxative, digestive and as a remedy for bile disorders.

When tamarind is raw, before it ripens, it is rich with lot of pulp. Normally, I cook the tamarind with a little bit of water, in a pressure cooker. When the mixture cools, I add some more water to it and squeeze the pulp. Strain it and keep it away in the freezer. When the raw tamarind is not available, this pulp comes in handy for recipes.

Bacchali is a perennial vine Basella alba and found in tropical Asia and Africa where it is user as a leafy vegetable. It is known as pui shak in Bengali. poi ni bhaji in Gujarati, basale soppu in Kannada, mayalu in Marathi. Bacchali is available in vine form and also small bunch type, In creeper variety also, you can find red and purple stem vine and green stem.

Malabar spinach, like any other green vegetable, is high in vitamins, iron and calcium. It is also a rich source of soluble fiber, low in calories by volume and high in protein per calorie.

In this recipe, I am making pulusu using bacchali kura and frozen green tamarind pulp. Raw tamarind gives the dish a distinctive taste. The recipe can also be made using regular tamarind paste or sour green mango!

Ingredients:

•      3 Bunches bacchali kura  (about 3 cups chopped leaves)
•      1 cup chintakaya pulp (either fresh or frozen)
•      4 or 5 green chiles
•      1/4 Tsp. turmeric powder
•      Salt to taste
•      3 Tsp. rice flour

Seasoning:

•      2 Tsp, oil
•      2 or 3 red chiles
•      1 Tsp. methi seeds
•      1 Tsp. mustard seeds
•      1 Tsp. jeera seeds
•      Pinch of hing (asafetida)
•      3 Tsp. mustard powder

Directions:

1.      Wash and clean bacchali kura.
2.      Chop coarsely.
3.      Boil a little water in a thick bottomed vessel.
4.      Add chopped bacchala kura and green chiles.
5.      When the leaves are cooked, add tamarind pulp.
6.      Add salt and turmeric powders.
7.      Let the mixture cook on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
8.      Add 1/2 cup water to the rice flour make a paste and add to the cooking mixture.
9.      Keep stirring and let cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
10.      Heat oil in a small pan, add red chiles, methi, mustard and jeera seeds.
11.      When mustard seeds splutter, add hing.
12.      Add the seasoning to the pulusu.
13.      Turn the heat off.
14.      Add mustard powder or paste to the pulusu and stir well.
15.      Keep covered and serve hot.
16.      Goes well with rice.

Thotakura pulusu (Chaulai saag/Amaranth pulusu)

Thotakura is a very popular leafy vegetable available all over India and in many countries. Some small leaf varieties are easily available in India. Amaranth is available in large sized red and green colored species also. In USA, the red and green color varieties are available in farmers' markets and other Asian stores.

In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, it is called Chaulai, in Karnataka Harive, in Kerala Cheera, in Tamil Nadu Keerai, in Orissa Khada Saga and in Maharashtra it is called Shravani Maath. Many local recipes are available in different parts of India.

Cooked Amaranth leaves are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and folate. They are a complementing source of many dietary minerals also. Cooked leaves are a good source of fiber. Many families are now including leafy vegetables in their daily menus.

In Andhra Pradesh, thotakura pappu (Amaranth dal) and thotakura pulusu are usually prepared. Recipes are available for dry thotakura subzi also. I am giving a recipe for making pulusu, cooking amaranth along with tamarind juice and other seasonings. It can be served with rice or roti.

In USA, large bunches of amaranth are available, whereas, in India, smaller bunches of small leaf thotakura are available. Pictures of both are inserted.

If green mangoes or tender tamarind are available, tamarind juice can be replaced with appropriate amount of green mango or tender tamarind. You may try replacing tamarind by rhubarb also!

Amaranth available in USA:                                                         Thotakura from Andhra Pradesh

 

      


Ingredients:

•      2 to 3 Tbsp. onion chopped
•      1 large bunch of thotakura (Amaranth)
•      2 to 3 green chiles
•      2 Tbsp. tamarind paste
•      1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
•      Pinch of hing (Asafetida)
•      Salt to taste
•      2 to 3 Tbsp. rice flour (as needed)

Seasoning:

•      2 red chiles
•      1 tsp. methi seeds
•      1 tsp. mustard seeds
•      1 tsp. jeera seeds
•      Pinch of hing (Asafetida)
•      4 or 5 pods  garlic (Optional)

Directions:

1.      Clean and cut thotakura into 1/2 inch pieces.
2.      Put onion pieces and thotakura in a deep pan.
3.      Add enough water to cook, maybe just to cover the greens.
4.      Cook till thotakura is tender.
5.      Add green chile, tamarind, turmeric powder, hing and salt.
6.      Keep cooking for 10 minutes.
7.      Mix rice powder in a little water to make a paste.
8.      Add gradually to the pulusu.
9.      Keep stirring so that the rice paste gets mixed and is not lumpy.
10.      Add enough rice flour to get the thickness you like.
11.      Keep stirring and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
12.      Heat oil in a separate pan and add red chiles.
13.      After a minute, add methi, jeera and mustard seeds.
14.      Add hing and add to the pulusu.
15.      Cover and turn off the heat.
16.      If you like, fry garlic pods in oil and add as topping.

Note: I add more rice flour to make thick pulusu. Some people like to make slightly watery pulusu. Depending on the consistency you like, adjust the amount of rice flour. In place of rice flour, you may use besan (chickpea flour) also.