If there is any edible leaf that indeed challenged my culinary knowledge ,that ought to be "Gongura leaves" .I never ever saw them in my life ,up until ,I got married to my Andhra man :D . And then "Expecto patronnum ", a new world of cuisine,Andhra cuisine opened in front of me .I love Andhra recipes so much .They are spicy,tangy and lip smacking -- Just the way I love my fav food to be !! ...
I remember going to Indian grocery shops and I may have seen this leaves many times but guess what I always thought,they are some kind of handicapped spinach leaves ...I was like "Never mind ",not my kind,don't wanna waste my brain to grind...oh rhyming again people !!...
However my better half was like, "You should try to make some Gongura pachadi for me.".I was like "what hon ?" .He sounded more like Bahubali's Kalakeya ...I heard ,"Don---Gurrr--- aahhh".
My better half understood that it is a waste of time to explain to me or I may make him like Kalakeya for sure.So, instead ,he took his sweet half, me, to the grocery shop and he purchased these leaves .I was like ,"Oh I am seeing them for the first time (technically)" and Hubby was like ,"Sure,I know!!!"
I asked my Andhra friends how to make a gongura chutney.I tried different recipes,but I found it damn sour .It seemed as if these leaves read my mind that initially ,I thought them to be some kinda handicapped Spinach leaves. A grudge unleashed !
So,I came up with my own version which has the right balance of sweetness and sourness to it and is so yummy that I can eat just the chutney by itself.My hubby can't be happier - more like a Bahubali than a Kalakeya :D..
By the way,If you don't know, then Gongura leaves falls into a Herb family and is tangy by taste like a lemony spinach.A little goes a long way .It is a summer produce ,the more hotter a place,more sour it becomes.They are of two types - one is green stemmed and other is red stemmed.The red stemmed leaves are more sour comparatively.A baby leaf is actually a full leaf but if it grows more,it splits into four or more parts .
In Hindi it is called ,pitwa,in Marathi,Ambaadi ,Taka bhendi or Khata Palanga in Oriya, Belchanda in Nepalese, Tengamora in Assam,Kotrum in Jharkhand Mestapat in Bengali, Amaari in Chhattisgarhi, Pandi/Pundi in Kannada, Pulicha keerai in Tamil,Anthur in Mizo, Sougri in Manipuri, Aamelli in Chakma, Sorrel Leaves/Kenaf leaves in English, and Chin Baung in Chinese and Gongura is the Telugu name for these leaves .
The botanical name is Hibiscus sabdariffa.(Source:Wiki/cookipedia).
Did you know ?
According to the VillageOrganics.in,Gongura leaves or Sorrel leaves are natural cure for kidney stones.
Gongura leaves/sorrel leaves are also rich in Vitamin A,B9 and C and rich in dietary fibres,potassium,sodium,calcium,magnesium and iron.They are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant,the juice is good for ulcers and boils .They are quite good for skin and eye health too.
In Andhra cuisine,these leaves play a vital role and is an indispensable food item .There are different ways to make a Gongura chutney Andhra style.This is one which has the sweet and sour rightly balanced .So,here is how I make Gongura chutney :
Gongura chutney|Gongura Pachadi recipe
Ingredients
Gongura leaves,de-stemmed ,cleaned - 15-20 nos.
Green chilies - 5 nos.
Shallot/small onion - 1 no.
Garlic,big cloves - 2 nos.
Ginger - 2 inch
Dry red chilies - 8-9 nos.
Urad daal/Black Gram - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Jaggery powder - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - a few (optional)- I used it for garnishing.You can season the chutney with mustard seeds and dry red chili too,if you wish.
Note:Pls adjust the green and red chilies as per your spicy preference level.The green chilies I used are not that spicy/fierce so I used 5.
Note:Pls adjust the green and red chilies as per your spicy preference level.The green chilies I used are not that spicy/fierce so I used 5.
Method:
Pls watch this quick video that will show you how.
Eat,Love,live DELICIOUSLY,
P.S.You may also like Gongura Mutton recipe
