Kalyana Murungai / Mullu Murungai Vadai

Yet another healthy and medicinal recipes from the treasure trove of recipes by my Grandma, Mullu Murungai Vadai is what I am going to share this week. Got some fresh leaves again from my Native Home Garden to make this hot, steaming, spicy Vadai.

Kalyana Murungai/ Mullu Murungai in Tamil and Indian Coral Tree in English (Botanically Erythrina variegata) is a leguminous tree. It can be grown with even a small stump of this tree. It bears heart shaped leaves with three leaves in a stalk. The flowers are bright red in colour and hence the name Indian Coral Tree. The roots of the trees has nodules with nitrogen fixing symbiotic bacteria and hence it helps in fixing nitrogen in the soil. The leaves of this trees are excellent medicine and is a rich source of rare vitamins, minerals. It is also a rich source of Iron, Calcium and dietary fibre.
Along with Pepper, it helps in curing bad cold and cough. When taken with Garlic, it increases the Red Blood Cells in our body and hence acts as a medicine for anaemia. It is also proven to regulate irregular periods. The Juice of this leaves is used in treated skin allergies and disorders. It aids ion treating high blood pressure, diabetes and nervous system disorders.Even it is proven to be used in weight reduction diet programs.

Here you go for the recipe :)

The Leaves

The Flowers

Ingredients

Step By Step 

The Recipe

Happy Cooking :) 

Mudakaruthan Keerai Soup / Balloon Vine Soup

Hope you all have celebrated Pongal in a grand manner and got to meet all our near and dear ones,had feast together and had fun. Pongal season brings us lot of fresh seasonal veggies and also raw turmeric and ginger rhizomes(botanically turmeric and ginger are underground horizontally growing stems which are referred to as Rhizomes). Its always a good option to use fresh turmeric in our recipes during this season.

We always celebrate Pongal in our native home at Thanjavur in a traditional way. When I saw the lush growth of Mudakaruthan Keerai/ Balloon Vine in our home garden, thought of whipping up a soup recipe with home grown fresh greens, turmeric and ginger rhizomes. A flavourful and highly medicinal soup which has innumerable health benefits and a best recipe to combat Cold and Cough. 

Benefits of Fresh Turmeric Rhizome: 

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. It is used effectively in treating Arthritis and Vascular Thrombosis. A number of research studies on cancer cells have shown that curcumin does have anticancer effects. It seems to be able to kill cancer cells and prevent more from growing. It has great effects on treating breast cancer, bowel cancer, stomach cancer and skin cancer cells.

Benefits of Mudakaruthan Keerai/ Mudakathan Keerai 

Commonly known as Balloon Vine Plant is a climber that bears trilobed balloon like fruits, hence the name. It is very effective in treating Joint Pains.Not only that, it cures bad cough and cold, ear pain and menstrual cramps.  

Here you go for the unique medicinal soup recipe :

The Ingredients

Step By Step
 

 The Recipe 

Hope you loved this recipe. Will be glad to receive your feed backs on trying this. 

Happy Cooking :) 

PanangKizhangu Thenagi Paal Payasam / Palm Sprouts Coconut Milk Kheer

Advance Pongal Festival Wishes to all and this week being very special for us as we celebrate our traditional festival, thought of sharing some native dessert using a fibre rich ingredient. Yes it is a delicacy using Palm Sprouts/ PanangKizhangu with Palm Jaggery and Coconut Milk. A very nutritious recipe that is made in native areas even now. Being the season of PanangKizhangu, it will be a good opportunity to try this out. Am really blessed to have relatives living in Village sides and doing farming hence I get these products from farms during every season.

Plamyrah tree is a miracle tree referred to as Karpaga Vriksham, as every part of it beneficial to mankind.One such product is the Palmyra sprout/Palmyra Tuber.It is the sprouts of Palm seeds.Normally each palm fruit will have three seeds and these seeds are planted in specially made soil nursery beds to sprout. In 3 to 4 months the seeds starts to grow. These seedlings below the surface are lifted out. This is called Panang kizhangu and is used in many ways.The fleshy stems are edible and are eaten roasted or boiled in Village Sides. We do get them in Chennai too during this season. This sprout is very nutritious and rich in fibre. Even Diabetic patients can have the boiled tuber.

Here you go for the recipe:

Ingredients

Step By Step 

 The Recipe

Happy Pongal and May this festival brings in Prosperity to all :) 

Green Peppercorns Rasam / Pachai Milagu Rasam

Another Rasam Recipe in my Rasam Series with Home Grown Green Peppercorns. I had already discussed about the benefits of this Green Pepper Corns in my another recipe " Green Peppercorn Spring Onion Kuzhambu"

Green Peppercorns are very helpful for digestion and protects intestine against Bacterial Infections. Being the season of green peppercorns, its a must try recipe which is enhanced with goodness of garlic and tanginess of lemon.

Here you go for the recipe:

Green Peppercorns Benefits

 Ingredients 

Step By Step 

The Recipe

Have a Happy and Healthy Week :)