Manathakkali Vathal Kuzhambu
Manathakkali or black night shade is a berry which is used widely
in South Indian Cooking. We mostly dry them and add it to dishes as they are
seasonal. January is the season we get this berry freshly in huge quantities however
we managed to get in one shop in mylapore market (Chennai) during the month of
June. The berry has a lot of medicinal values. Traditionally the plant was used
to treat tuberculosis. However it is widely used in house hold if there are any
stomach complaints and ulcers.
Bittergourd and Dates Kulambu
Bitter gourd is one of my favorite and I prefer to use dates
instead of jaggery. Bittergourd Kulambu
with dates is a spicy,sweet,tangy and bitter dish. Adding dates to it makes
this dish a diabetic friendly dish. I also prefer to use sesame oil as it has a
very good flavor and enhances the tastes of the food. Cooking this in a claypot
is a treat to our tastebuds. It is good to cook this dish in the night and have
them next day morning for lunch as all ingredients gets marinated well over
night.
