Tangy Manathakkali Kuzhambu

Manathakkali is called "Black Nightshade" in English. It  has a great lot of medicinal value. Both its leaf and its fruit in the raw and dried form is used in cooking. It is very effective in curing stomach ulcers. We get it very easily in Tamil Nadu. 

In India, the berries are casually grown and eaten; but not cultivated for commercial use. The berries are referred to as "fragrant tomato," or மணத்தக்காளி - manathakkaali in Tamil, 'ganike gida' in Kannada, Kamanchi in Sanskrit and Telugu, and makoi in Hindi. Although not very popular across much of its growing region, the fruit and dish are common in Northern Tamil Nadu, Southern Andhra and Southern Karnataka. In North India, the boiled extracts of leaves and berries are also used to alleviate the patient's discomfort in liver-related ailments, including jaundice. (Source - Wikipedia)

Manathakali has a distinct flavour. Since we don't get its fresh seeds here in Gujarat,  I keep a stock of it in the dried form i.e. in the vathal form. This Manathakkali Kuzhambu has a tangy taste with the goodness of the seed.




Ingredients


Onions (peeled and chopped) - 1/2 cup
Manathakali Vathal - 1 handfull (fried in little oil)
Medium Tomato - 2 (optional)
Tamarind - 1 lemon sized (soaked in water)
Sambar Powder - 2 to 3 heaped tb.sp
Salt - to taste
Curry Leaves - few (optional)
Black Mustard Seeds - 1 t.sp
Black Gram Dal (Urad Dal) - 1 t.sp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 t.sp
Asafoetida - 1/2 t.sp
Oil - 3 to 4 tb.sp




Method


Heat oil in a Kadai. Add Mustard seeds to the hot oil and let it splutter. Then add Black Gram Dal, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. Add curry leaves, after about 5 seconds add the onions and saute till it becomes translucent. Then add the tomatoes and saute till it gets cooked. Add the tamarind extract, sambar powder, salt, fried Manathakkali vathal and let it boil till the raw smell is gone. 


If you are using Manathakkali vathal then have a check on the salt you are adding since it already contains salt.


If you don't have sambar powder then use 1to 1 1/2  t.sp red chilli powder and 3 to 4 t.sp of coriander powder.


Serve hot with hot and steaming Rice.

I have served it here with Rice and Crispy Raw Banana (Ennai Vazhakkai)