Vela Keerai Kuzhambu

During our recent visit to our native place amma got a whole lot of greens which were not at all seen in Chennai. One among them is this vela keerai. Will write about the botanical specification later. I could not take the picture as they went into the kuzhambu soon after we reached home.

To drive away the travel sickness Amma made this delicious kuzhambu and served with hot rice and Thengai thuvayal. We all became recharged again 😉 My wonderful Amma!

Ingredients:

Vela keerai – leaves alone loosely packed ¼ cup (whole leaves)

8-10 shallots

Small tomato chopped – 1

Small lemon sized tamarind ball soaked in 5 Cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt

Sambar podi – 1 Tablespoon

Gingely oil – 3 Table spoons

For thaalipu :

1 Table spoon Vadagam>

How to make it ?

Squeeze the tamarind soaked in water after 10 minutes and strain the liquid and save it. (Amma used to add the required salt in this water while soaking the tamarind itself.) Take a wide skillet and heat the gingelly oil. Just before it start smokes add the vadagam. When they gets fried add the shallots and sauté till they become tender. Add the tomatoes and the keerai and sauté till the leaves wilt. Now add the tamarind liquid along with the samabar podi and mix well. Let it boil till you see the oil floating on the top.

Take it off the stove and serve with hot rice and thengai thuvayal. Its simply divine ! The keerai has a bitter taste but if you use it without cutting into pieces they taste divine in this kuzhambu.