PARWAL SUBZI

In South India, we have not seen this vegetable growing anywhere.  After coming to Mumbai, I saw this in the market plenty and always wanted to buy the same.  But I was not knowing how to use it, I asked my Gujarati friend about it.  She told me that this can be used for making subzi, stew, soup, curry and sweet dish too.

Hence I purchased and made the subzi which is shared with you today.

Parwal is low in cholesterol and fats.   It is easy to digest and recommended for patients with weak digestion and those recovering from chronic illness.   It is an appetizer too.  It is  a good source of Vitamin A, B1, B2 & C and also   Contains minerals, like calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper and potassium.   It is is helpful in treating jaundice, liver problems, blood diseases and leprosy patients.    Beneficial in treating fever, skin infections, constipation and healing of wounds.

Parwal is also know as the pointed gourd.

PARWAL SUBZI

Parwal

 The fruits are green with white or no stripes. Size can vary from small and round to thick and long.   It thrives well under a hot to moderately warm and humid climate. The plant remains dormant during the winter season and prefers a fertile, well-drained sandy loam soil due to its susceptibility to water-logging.  It is used as ingredients of soup,stew, curry, sweet or eaten fried.

UPPU MANGAI ARACHUKALAKI ( AZHUGU MANGAI,SALTED MANGO) /CHUTNEY)

Uppu mangai,salted mango or azhugu mangai means raw tender mangoes are preserved in salt water.  When the mango becomes very soft and changed its colour to a light yellowish brown colour and able to smash it with hands, at that time it is removed from the Bharani (jar).  This is the old practice my mother used to follow which I am also following. 

Arachukalakki is a side dish served with molagootal, dal rice etc.  It means with little coconut and green chilli, this uppu mangai or raw mango or yam etc. are used to grind to a fine paste or coarse paste,in case of raw mango.

UPPU MANGAI, SALTED MANGO, AZHUGU MANGAI

To be frank with you, I am tracing  all the old  grandma recipes forgotten for the past 40 years of my life in Mumbai.  Whenever iIsee some age  old recipes,  (old is gold) I never miss the chance of tasting it, wherever it may be.

Today when I made mix sprouts dosa (you can make adai also), I was wondering what to make as accompaniment.  Since we are strictly on diet, consuming coconut is restricted hence I cannot make coconut chutney. 

I saw the bottle of mangoes lying in front of me, I said, why not make this today.  Here i am sharing with you this age old recipe with you so that you will also enjoy the same.

TINDA SUBZI (INDIAN BABY PUMPKIN, APPLE GOURD, INDIAN ROUND GOURD)

Once myself and my husband were together in the market, he asked me to buy this subzi.  I have never made this in my life so was bit hesitant to buy it.  Then the vendor told me that it is very good and  tasty.  So thought of trying making subzi out of it.

The tinda, also called Indian round gourd or apple gourd or Indian Baby Pumpkin, is a squash-like cucurbit grown for its immature fruit, a vegetable especially popular in South Asia. It is the only member of the genus Praecitrullus.  "tinda" is also called "tindsi" in rajasthan. In Marathi, it is called Dhemase.

The plant is, as with all cucurbits, a prolific vine, and is grown as an annual. The fruit is approximately spherical, and 5–8 cm in diameter. The seeds may also be roasted and eaten.
This unique squash-like gourd is native to India, very popular in Indian and Pakistani cooking with curry and many gourmet dishes. Green colored, apple sized fruits are flattish round in shape and 50-60 grams in weight. Plants are vigorous, productive and begin to bear fruits in 70 days after planting.

Can be confused with Tendli or Kundru due to similar sounding name from different languages and regions. Tinda in Punjabi or most North Indian Languages is "Indian Baby Pumpkin".

This vegetable tastes somewhat like   viz.  Dudhi or bottlegourd or lauki.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

250 gms Indian Baby Pumpkin or tinda

Indian Baby Pumpkin, tinda, apple gourd, indian round gourd

1 big red tomato finely chopped

1 big onion finely chopped

1 tsp dhania powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp garam masala powder

½ tsp ginger garlic paste

¼ tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp pav bhaji masala

Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Tempering:

1 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

Garnishing:

Chopped coriander leaves.

Method:

Wash and peel the skin of the tinda and cut into big cubes.

One tinda can be cut into four pieces to eight pieces depending upon the size.

If the seeds are very tender, you can put it as it is.  If the seeds are slightly bigger, better remove it.

Chop the onion and tomato and keep aside.(alternatively, you can puree the same)

Heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and allow to splutter.

Add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes

Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for one minute

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till it is mushy.

Add the turmeric powder, tinda pieces, salt and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the masalas except garam masala, and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup water, cover and cook the same till the tinda pieces are tender.

Check the salt, add the garam masala and switch off gas.

How to serve:

Serve garnished with coriander leaves with chapatti, rice.

While picking up the tinda, should ensure that the same is very firm.

The masalas used  by me are according to our requirement .  You may increase according to your spice level.

variation:  you can also add potatoes along with this.

THANKS FOR VISITING THE BLOG.  YOUR SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF INDIAN GOOSEBERRY (AMLA, NELLIKKA, AVLA)

Om Pannagaya namah:

The information is taken from NET

Health benefits of Amla (Indian gooseberry)

Amla (Emblic Myrobalans) Therapy Botanically called Phyllanthus emblica, syn. Emblica officinalis , (Indian gooseberry) it is a rich source of vitamin C, amino acid, tannin, polyphenolic compounds, fixed oil, lipids and other essential oils. It may be compared with ‘Amrita’ (nectar) of the heavens owing to the medicinal qualities of this divine fruit. Its regular consumption is an anti-dote for many ailments/disorders like acidity, septic fever, biliary colic, vomiting, insomnia, defective vision etc.
Amla tree is found in all parts of India. It is generally 20-30 ft. high. Its bark is rough and brownish in colour. It has regular branches, bluish yellow flowers, small leaves like that of the Imli (tamarind) tree. Its fruit is round and greenish yellow in colour with six segments and a hard seed inside. Among all the varieties that are available, the best is Kalami for its fruit has lot of pulp, very small seed and is comparatively less sour and bitter in taste than others. It is especially good for making jams, pickles, chutneys etc. Chyavanprash is also made from Amla only.


Perhaps owing to its medicinal qualities the Hindus treat it as a very sacred tree and worship on ‘Akshaya Navami’. In the Kartik month (mid Oct. to mid Nov.) if one takes its dose regularly it provides complete protection against all the disorders due to cold. Amla is unique as it doesn’t leave its chemical ingredient even if it is heated. It is a tree whose no part is useless. It also has the atmosphere purifying qualities. Chemically, besides being the best source to get Vitamin C from, it also has gallic acid, tannic acid, sugar, albumen, calcium, protein, phosphorus, carbohydrates, irons etc.
Amla as general tonic
Taking Amla and Black Til (black seseme seeds) in equal quantity with honey or ghee cures mental and physical weaknesses.
To revitalise brain take a cupful of sugarless milk with the murabba of Amla.
Taking even one raw Amla every morning even with water makes one’s body enough resistance to fight with various ailments.
Taking milk in the morning after licking one teaspoon of ground Amla powder mixed with honey imparts freshness and strength to the body. Intellect get sharpened if one takes the pulp of fresh Amla or Amla juice with honey or ghee every morning and evening.
As an eye tonic and cure of eye ailments
Washing eyes with cool water having Amla powder soaked and strained is good for the eyes and it also improves eye-sight.
Washing the eyes with ground Amla and til powder water (soak Amla and Til powder in water overnight and strain it) in the morning cures burning sensation in the eyes.
Applying pulp of Amla on the head and washing the hair after massage helps in curing burning sensation in the eyes and heaviness of the head. (See also : Remedies for premature greying of hair)
Have Amla powder washed down with milk to improve your eyesight.
Eating 10 gms. of Triphala (the powder made by mixing even quantity of Hirda, Bahera (Behda) , Amla powders) with 1 tsp of honey keeps eyes very healthy strong and sparkling.
Having Triphala powder with honey not only keeps eyes bright and shining but it is also very good for the digestive system.
For curing head and heart ailments
Taking Amla Murabba every day in the morning cures physical and mental debility. Taking Amla juice is ideal for keeping your head and eyes strong.
Massaging the scalp with Amla oil before going to bed removes mental weakness.
Taking Amla powder with cow’s milk or Misri (even amount) with water gives relief in heart ailments.
Applying paste made up of dried Amla powder with Kumkum, Neelkamal and rose-water cures headache. Applying paste of Juice of 2 to 3 Amla or its pulp mixed with little rose water and 3 to 4 pieces of kesar (saffron) in it-on the affected part for 15 mts. relieves the pain of migraine.
Curing involuntary nocturnal emission
Taking 10 gms of fresh Amla juice with 1 gm. of powdered haldi (turmeric) and honey every morning and evening cuers this problem. ( See also : health benefits of turmeric )
Taking Amla water (soak dried Amla powder in 1:3 proportion in water for 12 hours, strain the water and mix 1 gm. haldi powder) regularly helps in curing night discharge problem. (See also : Remedies for Sexual Impotence)

Problems connected with uro generative system
Taking 1 gm Amla powder, kala jeera and 2 gms. ground misri with cold water cures the problem of bed wetting.
Taking milk after eating fresh Amla juice or dried Amla powder with gur (jaggery) cures stranguary.
Applying paste of Amla near the naval portion helps in curing urinary problem. Boil 20 gm. pulp of dried Amla in 160 gms. water till 40 gms. is left. Then mix 20 gms. of Gur (Jaggary) in it. Drinking this potion helps in urinary problem.
Taking crushed Amla pulp (after straining it) mixed with misri cures blood in urine.
Taking 20 gms fresh Amla Juice with 10 gms. of honey and water twice a day cures problem connected with urination.
Acidity and digestive problems
Licking one tea spoon of dried Amla powder with honey or ghee after dinner checks acidity. (See also : Remedies for acid peptic ulcers)
Female ailments
Taking 3 gms. powdered Amla with 6 gms. honey every day for one mouth cures the problem of leucorrhoea.
Leucorrhoea is also cured by taking powder of Amla seed with honey or mjsri regularly. Taking 20 gms. fresh Amla juice mixed with honey regularly for a month cures weakness of the generative system.
Blood impurities
Taking Amla juice or powder with honey purifies blood.
Taking 5 gms. of powder (made from 20 gms triphala, 20 gms. black pepper, 10 gms. pure sulphur, 5 gms. of neem leaves and mehandi leaves-ground in fine powder form) with a glass of water twice a day cures all impurities of blood.
Diabetes

Taking fresh Amla juice with honey checks diabetes.
Piles
Soak 15 gms. Amla and 15 gms. of mehandi (myrtle) leaves overnight in 400 gms. water strain the liquid in the morning. Drinking this water checks piles. Taking 5 gms. of triphala churna with a glass of whey helps in curing piles. Also, taking fresh Amla juice with half tsp of ghee and 1 tsp. of honey and 100 gms. of milk-after lunch-cures even chronic piles problem.
Stone-problem
Taking Amla powder with radish helps in checking stone in bladder by breaking the stones and throwing it out with urine. The best time to have them is morning or evening.
Constipation
Have 1 tsp dried Amla powder with milk or water before retiring for the day. It helps in imparting movements to the bowels and keeping the system clean. Also taking strained water of mashed fresh Amlas soaked overnight in lukewarm water helps in evacuating the bowels. Taking 4 tsp fresh Amla juice and 3 tsp honey mixed in a glass of water relieves constipation. If constipation is caused by worms, take about 20 gms. fresh juice of Amla every day to kill the worms.
Cold and cough
Taking two tsp of fresh Amla juice with honey twice a day helps in taking out the phlegm and controls cold. Also, taking milk in which a little Amla powder and ghee boiled in the evening helps in dry cough. Licking Amla powder with honey regularly twice or thrice a day also cures chronic dry cough.
Skin troubles
If there is the problem of extreme dryness of the skin, taking tea boiled with pieces of Amla in it mixed with sugar and milk helps greatly. Itching problem is cured by applying Amla churna in chameli oil (dry Amlas in shade, powder them and mix them in chameli-Jasmine oil. The bottle should be kept in shade) on the part of the body where itching is gives reting. (See also : Remedies for Acne)
Baldness and other allied problems
Washing the head with Amla-juice mixed with water after rubbing the scalp for 10-15 mts. with fresh Amla juice helps in restoring the vitality of hair. Soak dried Amla, Harar, Bahera and Shikakai in an iron utensil overnight and mesh them nicely, washing your hair regularly with this strengthens the hair and checks hair loss.
Applying the paste of Amla powder mixed in lemon juice on the hair 10 to 15 mts. before washing them with Amla water keeps the hair strong and shining.
Dying the hair with the following herbal paste makes them turn automatically black and strong. Make the paste of Amla and Mehandi leaves and apply it on the hair. Keep it applied for about 15 to 20 mts. Then wash it off with lukewarm water. This will make your hair black and shining.
Washing the hair with dicoction of Amla removes dryness of the scalp, checks dandruff and stops excessive fall and the greying of hair.
Massaging the head with Amla oil imparts natural glow to hair, relieves mental tension and induces sleep.
Jaundice
Soak 4 Munnakkas (big raisins) in juice of 4 fresh Amla. After one hour grind the soaked munakkas and mix it with Amlajuice. Taking this potion twice a day gives relief in Jaundice.
Mix a churna in the following way. Grind each of Amla, dry ginger (Read more on health benefits of ginger), black pepper, 3 gms. of iron bhasm and little turmeric. Lick this churna mixed with a teaspoonful honey helps cure Jaundice.
Gout
Taking fresh Amlajuice with old ghee-heated a little-regularly for a few says relieves stiffness of joints and helps in curing gout.
Removing the spots left by measels, chicken pox, small-pox etc.
Take bath with the water having Amla juice mixed in it. Also, apply the paste made of Amla and til in equal quantity ground in cold milk added with 3 or 4 drops of rose water on spots and let it stay for sometime and then wash it off with Amla soaked water.
Boils in mouth
Doing gargles with water having fresh Amla juice twice or thrice a day gives great relief and helps curing the boils. After gargles apply fresh Amla juice on the boils and let saliva ooze out.
Lices in hair
Applying the paste of ground seeds of Amla mixed with lemon- especially on the roots of the hair and washing after half an hour will clear the lices from the hair. Even when washing it off use the water having little of Amla juice.
Amla as the beautifying agent
Application of the Amla paste mixed with turmeric and-oil on- body makes the skin clear, soft and improves the complexion.
Drinking Amla juice mixed with honey in the morning makes the complexion glowing and blemishless.
Application of the Amla paste on the face and washing it off after 10 to 15 mts class pimples and heals up the spots so created.
Checking menstrual disorder
Take boiled pulp of Amla with honey two times a day relieves the pain in the bleeding.
Taking Amla juice mixed with ripe banana 3 to 4 times a day during periods-checks profuse bleeding.
Insect-bite
Applying the paste made of Triphala powder mixed with cow’s urine-on the affected part-relieves the poisonous effects of insects. Drinking Amla juice will also help in such cases.
General maintenance of health
Munching raw Amla or one piece of Amla Murabba washed down with milk is an ideal breakfast for staying healthy and living till ripe old age.
Also, taking Chyavanprash (having enough of Amla) in the morning is also very good tonic for maintaining good health.
Taking sharbat of Amla in summers keeps the body cool even in the height of summers.

GOLYACHI AMTI

Golyachi Amti is prepared by Maharashtrians.  It is a very tasty dish especially, during rainy season with rotis and hot rice, you will enjoy it.  Here, the golyas are made with Besan (gram flour).  Alternatively, you can make it with medu vada batter, dal wada batter, adai batter also for a change, this is my version.  What you have to do is make small balls of the batter and deep fry the same and put it in the gravy as given  in the recipe.

Let us look at the recipe now:

CHERRY AND TOMATO CHUTNEY

 We bought a box full of Cherrys as my childlren love them to eat.  When I made bun dosa, what to make as accompaniment for this as I do not want my husband to eat molagai podi with lots of oil in it.  So decided to make the chutney out of the cherries.  

With cherries alone, I felt, it will not be tasty much as I was not willing to add coconut to it.  So I decided to added tomato with it and boiled it and tempered with mustard seed and curry leaves.

I  am not sure about the nutritional value after cooking the cherries but enjoyed the same with the dosa.  As it was worth posting, here the easy and simple recipe.

tomato cherry chutney

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CHERRY

 Om bhairavaya namah:

Cherry fruit nutrition facts

Wonderfully delicious, cherry fruit is packed with full of health-benefiting nutrients and unique antioxidants. Cherries are native to Eastern Europe and Asia Minor regions.

Botanically, the fruit is a “drupe” (stone fruit), belonging to the broad Rosaceae family of small tree fruits in the genus, Prunus. Some of the common “drupe” family fruits are plums, peaches, apricots etc. Although several species of cherries exist, two popular cultivars are wild or sweet-cherry, and sour or tart-cherry. While sweet cherries belong to the species of Prunus avium, tart variety belongs to that of Prunus cerasus.

Health benefits of cherry fruit

• Cherries are one of the very low calorie fruits; however, are rich source of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Both sweet as well as tart cherries are packed with numerous health benefiting compounds that are essential for wellness.
• Cherries are pigment rich fruits. These pigments, in fact, are polyphenolic flavonoid compounds known as anthocyanin glycosides. Anthocyanins are red, purple or blue pigments found in many fruits and vegetables, especially concentrated in their skin, known to have powerful anti-oxidant properties.
• Scientific studies have shown that anthocyanins in the cherries are found to act like anti-inflammatory agents by blocking the actions of cyclooxygenase-1, and 2 enzymes. Thus, consumption of cherries has potential health effects against chronic painful episodes such as gout arthritis, fibromyalgia (painful muscle condition) and sports injuries.
• Research studies also suggest that anti-oxidant compounds in tart cherries help the human body to fight against cancers, aging and neurological diseases, and pre-diabetes condition.
• Cherry fruits are very rich in stable anti-oxidant melatonin. Melatonin can cross the blood-brain barrier easily and produces soothing effects on the brain neurons, calming down nervous system irritability, which helps relieve neurosis, insomnia and headache conditions.
• Further, they are also mild source of zinc, moderate sources of iron, potassium, and manganese and good source of copper. Potassium is a heart-healthy mineral; an important component of cell and body fluids that regulate heart rate and blood pressure.
• The fruits, especially tart cherries are exceptionally rich in health promoting flavonoid poly phenolic anti-oxidants such as lutein, zea-xanthin and beta carotene. These compounds act as protective scavengers against harmful free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that play a role in aging, cancers and various disease processes.
• Anti-inflammatory property of cherries has been found effective in reducing heart-disease risk factors by scavenging action against free radicals.
• Acerola or West Indian cherry has exceptionally very high levels of vitamin-C (1677.6 mg per 100 g or 2796 % of RDA) and vitamin-A (767 IU per 100 g).

BUN DOSA

Dosa is  made for breakfast by every one.  It is a very simple and tasty dish served along with sambhar or chutney or milagai podi.

There are varieties of dosas which can be made with and without urid dal.  Here another version of dosa without urid dal.  This recipe is shared by my dearest  friend Mrs. Sandhya Phadnis, who is also a very good cook and enjoys sharing her recipes and brings a lot to eat for the whole office.

Urid dal is not advisable to those who are having gas problems this was advised to me by an Ayurvedic doctor.  Hence I also prefer to make dosas without urid dal as far as possible.

Bun dosa with tomato and cherry chutney

HEALTH BENEFITS OF AJWAIN.

Om namashivaya

Health benefits of Ajwain

• Ajwain seeds contain health benefiting essential oils such as thymol, a monopterone derivative class of chemical compound, which gives aromatic fragrances to seeds. In addition, they also comprise in small amounts other phyto-chemicals such as pinene, cymene, limonene and terpinene.
• The active principles in the ajwain may help increase the digestive function of the intestinal tract by increasing gut juices (gastro-intestinal secretions).
• Thymol, the essential oil obtained from ajwain has local anaesthetic, anti-bacterial and antifungal properties.
• Like caraway, ajowan seeds are rich in fiber, minerals, vitamins, and anti-oxidants.

Selection and storage

Ajwain is readily available in spice stores specialized in Indian or Middle-Eastern items. In general, whole ajwain seeds displayed for sale unlike in other spices such as dill, cumin, coriander, etc. Buy fresh, wholesome, compact seeds that give rich thyme like flavor when rubbed between fingers.

Once at home, store the seeds in an airtight container and place in cool dark place away from sunlight, and humidity. Generally, ajowan seeds should be used as early as possible since they lose flavor rather quickly, largely because of evaporation of essential oils.

Medicinal uses

• Ajwain seeds have long been used in traditional ayurvedic and unani medicines for various ailments. Extraction obtained from this spice is sometimes used as carminative in treating flatulence and indigestion.
• Thymol's germicide and antiseptic properties utilized in many cough remedies. In India, the seeds are used to ease asthma.
• Ajwain seed oil has the highest percentage of thymol. (Medical disclaimer).

Culinary uses

Ajwain seeds mainly feature in savory Indian, Pakistani, and Middle-Eastern cooking. In order to keep the fragrance and flavor intact, ajowan seeds generally crushed just before preparing dishes and added to the cooking recipes at final stages. This is because prolonged cooking results in evaporation of essential oils.

• In Punjab province of India and Pakistan, the spice seeds particularly added to make bread known as ajwain paratha.
• Some Indian vegetarian bean/lentil and chicken/fish curries contain this spice and in the Middle East, it is used to flavor meat and rice dishes.
• The seeds used generously as condiment in snacks, spicy biscuits, to flavor drinks, soups, sauces in India.
• They also used in pickling along with fenugreek, mustard seeds, turmeric, etc.

Safety profile

Since ajwain seeds induce gut secretions, they may exacerbate existing stomach ulcer/ulcer bleeding conditions.
In addition, recipes prepared using this spice may be avoided in individuals with liver diseases, ulcerative colitis, and diverticulitis conditions. (Medical disclaimer).

PANIKOORKA ELAI, KANNIKOORKA ELAI, OMAVALLI ELAI.BHAJIA

Panikoorka elai has got lots of medicinal values.  It is known as  ajwain ka patta, oma elai, karpoora valli elai.  The bhajia made out of this is heavenly.

When we had this in our balcony garden, one day our watchman came and asked my mother in law to spare some leaves.  When she asked him for what, he said we make bhajia out of it.  That time only we came to know about this.

Immediately my mother in law also tried the bhaji since we had plenty in our garden.


My mother used to make kashayam also known as  Kaada and helps in digesting the food as well as is a cure for cough and cold.  refer Kashayam, Kaada recipe/kashayam-kada.html

Coconut oil applied on the leaves are kept on the tava for  making it slightly hot and kept on the head for small children to cure  the cold.  My mother used to do it for my younger brothers whenever they have cold.