MANATHAKKALI KEERAI HEALTH BENEFITS & MEDICINAL
We call manathakkali keerai “Sukuti Keerai” in my place and I absolutely love it. It is called black night shade in English and it’s botanical name is solanum nigrum. Especially the small dark fruits (sukkuti palam in Tamil) is divine and I am sure many of you must have enjoyed plucking and eating these small fruits, when you were a child. I am saying as a child because usually these fruits are used as treats for children. When I was younger, I used to love plucking these fruits one by one and popping it in my mouth. Though we make gravies and vathal with unripe fruits, the ripe fruits are my favorite.
The fruits are also the best way to identify this amazing plant. I wish many children know about these fruits and enjoy them, because nowadays many don’t even know the name of this plant. Manathakkali is a wonder plant and has many health benefits and medicinal uses. In my home, we make a stir fry with manathakkali leaves very often along with this manathakkali soup.
If you are suffering from ulcers or stomach burn look no further and reach out for manathakkali, because nothing can treat ulcers like manathakkali. If you are suffering from ulcers, try taking this manathakkali soup everyday along with the fruit for lunch till you get good relief. When you are on this diet try to stay away from foods that trigger ulcers like caffeine, cola drinks, oily fried foods, spicy foods and processed foods to heal faster.
Morning and night stick to traditional foods that are easy on the stomach and that can be easily digested like idli, steamed foods, etc and in the afternoon take this soup along with rice. Within a few days you will find your ulcers healing, but eating a healthy diet while doing this home remedy is very important. This soup tastes delicious and can be given to both adults and children. This treatment also works best for children and can be given to them, if they are complaining of stomach burn.
When making this remedy always use freshly plucked leaves and homemade coconut milk for best taste and results. Coconut milk in the recipe also is very good for treating ulcers and stomach burn. I prefer to make this soup fresh, but if you are pressed for time, make a huge batch and refrigerate. If you are not suffering from stomach burn, try including this soup at least weekly once in your diet to prevent stomach burn and ulcers.
How To Make Manathakkali Keerai Soup?
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METHOD:
1. Clean manathakkali keerai and cut into small pieces.
2. Pound black peppercorns and cumin seeds coarsely. Cut garlic and small onions finely.
3. Heat unrefined sesame oil in an iron pan. Once hot add the pounded spices and add the cut garlic and small onions and fry well.
4. Once the onions have fried, add the cut manthakkali and fry till it wilts. Add water till the leaves are immersed and salt, cover and boil till the leaves are cooked. The leaves take some time to be cooked, so wait patiently till the leaves are fully cooked.
5. Remove the lid and add thick coconut milk. Keep the flame on low and once tiny bubbles start appearing on the sides, switch off and serve.
NOTES:
Don’t boil the mixture for long, after adding the coconut milk and make sure to keep the flame on low else the coconut milk will split.
This soup can be consumed as such or can be had with rice.
Since the leaves take some time to be cooked, make sure to cut the leaves finely.
The coconut milk should be thick, use the first extract of the coconut milk.
Manathakkli apart from healing ulcers in the stomach and mouth is also very nutritious.
The fruits are also good for treating ulcers.
- Sri Eswaran
