Pirandai Thokku / Hadjot Gravy

Pirandai Thokku

Pirandai is a creeper that has wonderful medicinal uses and health benefits. It is called "Adamant Creeper | Devil's Back Bone | Veldt Grape" in English and it's botanical name is Cissus quadrangularris and it is called Hadjot in Hindi. This creeper grows easily everywhere and can be very easily grown in pots at home. [- Source: "Google"]

                                                                                                     

INGREDIENTS :

Pirandai- chopped, 250 grams

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tspn

Red chillies: 50 gms, nearly 25-30 nos

Tamarind/ Puli / Imli: lemon sized

Salt: as required

Katti Perungayam / Compunded asafoetida: sundaikkai sized 3 balls [if using powdered asafotida, use 2 tspns]

Fenugreek seeds/ venthayam / Methi seeds: 1/2 tspn

Ginger: 3 inches, chopped

Gingelly oil: 100 gms

Jaggery: sundaikkai sized- 1 ball

METHOD:

• Cut the 4 thin corners of pirandai, and chop it well, then wash it thoroughly. Grease some oil in hands before handling raw pirandai.

• Heat a kadai, add some oil, once oil is heated, add the washed pirandai + 1/2 tspn of turmeric powder, saute them very well in medium flame until pirandai changes its color to subtle. Turn off and keep it aside.

• In a kadai, first dry roast methi seeds to golden color and keep it aside, then add a tspn of oil to the same kadai, fry the katti perungayam and keep it aside.

• In a mixie jar, add salt, tamarind, red chillies, golden roasted methi, fried katti perungayam, ginger and grind them nicely to a smooth consistency. Then add the finely sauted pirandai and dry grind it first and then add little water to make the contents to a fine paste like a chutney.

• Heat a kadai, add 100 gms of gingelly oil, once warmed, add the pirandai paste, add some water in mixie jar to wipe out all the contents and add them to the kadai. Add jaggery to it.

• Saute the pirandai paste in the oil nicely until it reaches thokku / pulikaichal consistency, it will ooze out oil. This is the perfect stage. Turn the flame off.

• You can mix it in rice, can be used as a side dish for curd rice, idly, dosa, roti, puri, etc.

Pirandai Thokku is ready!!!

Health Benefits of Pirandai:

1. Treats all digestion related problems like gastritis, indigestion and lack of appetite.
2. Very good for treating sprains and swollen joints.
3. Best worming medicine, treats piles, menstrual problems and is also the best home remedy for ear pain.