Vallarai keerai thuvaiyal recipe (for rice)

Vallarai keerai thuvaiyal recipe, Healthy and tasty chutney for rice. Vallarai keerai recipe with quick video, stepwise photos. Read on to know more!

About

Vallarai keerai (Centella asiatica) is a type of keerai and I remember mom saying it is good for memory power. Though we know the health benefits, we have not consumed it before as far as I know.

It is also known as Gotu Kola. Vallarai keerai in Singapore can be found in Indian groceries like Sri Murugan or Little India vegetable shops. I have seen few times in Mustafa too.

At some places, yeli kaadhu keerai is sold as vallarai keerai as both look similar (though the former looks dark hue and have reddish tint). Also I could see there are couple of variants in this.

What I bought was thick, large and had complete round leaves. While the one we get in India are thinner, smaller and not complete rounds.

One more confusion is there are two plants called by the same common name in India as Brahmi leaves. I read an informative article here, to know both have many overlapping properties.

Ingredients

For any thuvaiyal, my common base ingredients are urad dal, asafoetida, lots of red chillies, tamarind and salt to balance each other and the main ingredient in which I am making thuvaiyal. I add a bit of jaggery too for highlighting other tastes.

I decided I would try the same way I will try this thuvaiyal as well. But glad I didn't. The video in which I referred (source) told it should not include tamarind which will nullify the health benefits.

Actually it is true for all and also it is best to use black pepper in place of red chillies too for getting the fullest benefits of the vallarai keerai. I was bit scared to experiment this as this is the first time I am making this keerai.

So I used onion, tomato (instead of tamarind), red chillies, urad dal along with the leaves and salt. Usually we do not temper thuvaiyals and I followed same here.

Variations

• You can use 2-3 tablespoon grated coconut in the same recipe.
• Instead of asafoetida, you can use 8 small variety garlic cloves.
• Replace red chillies with green chilli for different taste and flavor.

Cleaning : Remove the stem part of the keerai, collect only the leaves. Wash and drain from water, keep aside.

Video

Is video more your thing? Watch quick video here.

Storing

The usual thogayals I make stays good for 5-7 days, but this one have onion and tomato, so I finish within 2 days. You can have it with idli dosai too, to finish it fast.

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Vallarai keerai thuvaiyal recipe

Vallarai keerai thuvaiyal recipe, Healthy and tasty chutney for rice. Vallarai keerai recipe with quick video, stepwise photos. Read on to know more!

Course Condiments

Cuisine Indian, South Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 15 Servings

1x2x3x

Cup measurements

Ingredients

• 3 cups Vallarai keerai measure packed
• 1 Onion
• 1 Tomato
• 1 tablespoon Urad dal
• 5 Red chillis
• ⅛ teaspoon Asafoetida
• 2 teaspoon oil
• Salt

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Instructions

• To start with, heat a pan with oil. Add red chillies, asafoetida and urad dal to it.
• Roast until dal turns reddish. Drain from oil and keep aside.
• In the same oil, add onion and sautee for a minute. Tip in tomatoes and give it a stir.
• Add vallarai keerai to the pan and saute in low flame. As you stir, it gets shrunk.
• Cook well for 3-4 minutes in low flame.
• Actually you can saute in oil separately first and set aside. Then proceed with sauteeing onion and tomato. But I did this way.
• Just make sure to cook vallarai keerai well.
• Remove in a plate and cool down everything.
• Place the cooled items in blender/ mixie and add 2-3 tablespoon of water.
• Grind with required salt. Mix in between once for even grinding.
• Transfer to the serving bowl.

Video

Notes

• You can saute keerai separately to ensure it's cooked well.
• Using tangy tomato ensures balance in taste.
• Adjust the red chillies as per your required spice level and the spice level of red chillies. Mine is spicy in this recipe still we love it spicy for rice, so used more.

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Stepwise method

1. To start with, heat a pan with oil. Add red chillies, asafoetida and urad dal to it.

2. Roast until dal turns reddish. Drain from oil and keep aside.

3. In the same oil, add onion and sautee for a minute.

4. Tip in tomatoes and give it a stir.

5. Add vallarai keerai to the pan and saute in low flame. As you stir, it gets shrunk.

6. Cook well for 3-4 minutes in low flame.

8. Actually you can saute in oil separately first and set aside. Then proceed with sauteeing onion and tomato. But I did this way. Just make sure to cook vallarai keerai well.

9. Remove in a plate and cool down everything. Place the cooled items in blender/ mixie and add 2-3 tablespoon of water. Grind with required salt. Mix in between once for even grinding.

10. Transfer to the serving bowl.

Mix with steamed rice, and generous sesame oil to enjoy.