Prabalika M. Borah
June 22, 2017 16:17 IST | Updated: June 22, 2017
16:17 IST
Tangy and perfect to cook up a storm, sorrel leaves
are the flavour of the season
Come monsoon, and most green leafy vegetables are relegated to the back burner for a couple of months. Concerns about contamination soar high. But the only variety of leafy vegetable which is consumed without any inhibition during the monsoons is probably sorrel leaves. Known as gongura in Telugu, ambadi in Marathi, pulichakeerai in Tamil, tenga mora in Assamese, the plant is called pitwaa in Hindi, khata palanga in Oriya, and mestapat in Bengali. This basically goes to show that sorrel leaves are consumed widely in India.
The reason being: they are a rich
source of iron, vitamins, folic acid and anti-oxidants essential for human
nutrition. A good bunch of gongura is the only key to make the right
dish. When buying gongura, look for leaves that are firm and a vivid
green in colour. Any sign of yellow or browning indicates that the leaves are
spoilt. However, they are still fit to be consumed. Leaves that are smaller in
size will be more tender and have a milder flavour. The tanginess of the leaves
is directly proportional to the temperature of the region it is grown in.
Culinary uses
The very mention of gongura
pachhadi will have any Telugu drooling. A very popular dish in Andhra
and Telangana, gongura is also used to make mutton and chicken dishes,
also revered as the show-stopper of a meal in special family get-togethers.
When cooked with toor dal,
it adds a certain zing to the dish and is popularly known as gongura pappu.
Apart from curries, varieties of pickles are made with gongura.
Cooking gongura with colocasia is a popular ethnic dish in Assam. In
Tamil Nadu, it is widely used for pulichakeerai masiyal and
thokku.
Health benefits
Gongura is an excellent
source of folate and a very good source of vitamin B6, both of which are needed
to maintain low homocysteine levels. Apart from this, it is a rich source of
iron, vitamin C, anti-oxidants, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin A.
According to studies, the leaves
are also a great way to keep your bones strong. This mineral-rich plant has
calcium, magnesium and phosphorus in abundance, all of which are important for
maintaining strong and healthy bones. A diet rich in these minerals can help in
preventing bone loss and conditions such as osteoporosis.
The high content of vitamin C,
popularly known as ascorbic acid, plays a major role in boosting the immune
system and in increasing the number of white blood cells in the body. This is
also one of the reasons gongura is widely consumed even during the
monsoons. Also, since it grows a little higher than ground level, risk of
contamination is comparatively low.
