Gramathu Virundu II - Sundakai Pakoda

I almost missed this weeks' Gramathu virundu. Syam of dhinamum ennai kavani sent me the video clipping of the segment. Syam cannot thank you enof !!! Ok now to the recipe.
What IS sundakai anyway ?? - Its a berry and details from Vineela's cuisine

"Sundakkai"s botanical name is "Solanum torvum" and "Turkey Berry" in English,"Bhankatiya, katai in "Hindi","Usthikaya" in Telugu and "Sundakkai" in Tamil.


Sundakai ( Turkey berry ) - Courtesy Forest & Kim Starr (USGS)



Sundried Sundakai ( Turkey berry ) - Courtesy Vineela's Cooking

The most common way of using this berry is to soak it in buttermilk and sundrying. Its then fried in oil. Frying makes it very crispy. This makes it a very tasty compliment to curd rice. Another classic recipe is sundakai vatha kozhambu - a tangy fiery sauce with plenty of pearl onions and garlic along with the dried sundakai. The honey like consistency of this sour, hot and bitter kozhambu ( sauce ) is to die for.

Tastewise the fresh berry will be bitter in taste much like bittergourd and is said to be good for the stomach. It is claimed to remove the worms in stomach and helps in clearing stomach ulcers. Here in US we dont get fresh sundakai but dried form is available.

This recipe calls for fresh sundakai. Paravai paati says that kids will not eat fresh sundakai as they are bitter, so serving them as crispy pakoras is a good way to disguise them.

This weeks recipe and ingredient are classic reasons for registering gramathu virundu - to rediscover forgotten ingredients. If any of you has access to fresh sundakai and are trying out this recipe dont forget to take a picture - and send me a link !!

Here goes her demo

Ingredients

besan - 500 gms
fresh sundakai - 250 gms slightly crushed
two tbs - saunf coarsely powdered
asafoetida - a pinch
chilli powder - 1 tsp
turmeric - half tsp
ginger garlic paste - two tsp
finely chopped pearl onions - 4
coriander finely chopped - 2 tbs
curry leaves finely chopped - 2 tbs
salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients with little water to the consistency of chappathi dough - drop spoonfulls in hot oil and remove the pakoras when golden brown onto a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve with hot tea/coffee on a cold rainy day !!