|
Magazine
Medicinal treasure
|
Thuthuvallai, a rejuvenator, is easy to grow.
|
Thuthuvallai ... many uses
A THORNY creeper with bluish violet flowers, Solanum trilobatum (called Thuthuvallai in Tamil) belongs to the brinjal family. In English, it is called the climbing plant. Siddha saint Agathiyar included Thuthuvallai as one of the important Kayakalpa (rejuvenator) drugs.
Surprisingly for a plant which has thorny leaves, it can still be cooked and made into tasty dishes. The leaves, flowers and seeds (which turn from green to red) have medicinal properties. The plant is said to contain natural steroids. The leaf is effective in tackling throat congestion due to cough and cold.
There was even a popular Tamil film song of yesteryear where the heroine says she will sing to her lover after eating Thuthuvallai leaves. Thuthuvallai is also a stimulant and a tonic. It can be included once or twice a week as part of the menu.
It can be made into a delicious chutney. The leaves must be carefully separated from the thorny stems, using a pair of scissors. For about four handfuls of leaves, you would need about one to two spoonfuls of urad dal, a small dried red chilli, a little asafoetida and salt to taste. Saute the leaves with a little ghee, roast the urad dal and chilli and grind with salt and asafoetida. The grinding can be done either dry or with a little water. If it is ground dry, it will keep for a week or so. Refrigeration is ideal. Sauted leaves can be added to dals, sambar, pudhina and coriander leaves and made into chutneys.
While making rasam, the plant (excluding the roots) — the stem, leaves, flowers and fruits — can be sauted with a little ghee and added to it for relief from colds, coughs and fever. Since the stems are thorny, one needs to be careful while serving the rasam to children. Strain and serve.
The leaves can be cut, sauted and added to soaked and ground boiled rice and made into adais. Thuthuvallai can be added to your favourite vegetable dishes and its excellent medicinal properties make it worthwhile.
In traditional medicine, ghee and lehiyam made with Thuthuvallai are prescribed for respiratory problems.
Thuthuvallai can either be ordered from your vegetable vendor or grown in your home. It is a hardy plant and does not require much watering.
For saplings and further information contact:
The Medicinal Plant Development Area,
Forest Department,
Government of Tamil Nadu,
Pulleri, Chengalpattu.
Or
Arcottankudisai, Vellore
Or
Centre for Traditional Medicine and Research,
Chennai.
Telephone: 441 5993, 440 5583
E-mail: phyto@vsnl.net
Herb95@hotmail.com
Text and photograph by
The writer is Chairperson, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board
SHEELA RANI CHUNKATH
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Magazine
|
