Indravalli - Mudakathan Keerai - Cardiospermum halicacabum

Indravalli

Kothumai Kambu Mudakathan Dosa with Tomato Chutney

Mudakathan Parantha with tomato chutney during dusshera holidays

Mudakathan Chappathi, Mudakathan Keerai Rasam along with Kesari, Sweet pongal

For health benefits
Uzinja
Kakadani
Cardiospermum halicacabum
All I know is that it is good for bones and joints. Replayed the scene three-four times in Masala Cafe aka kalakalapu where the thaatha relates "unave marunthu marunthe unavu" dialogue. And thereon, roadside-wildly growing mudakathan keerai entered kitchen.

I was craving for solitude. And it so happened, that the bus was late and mom had left for office. I stopped as usual under the maramalli trees to savour the fragrance for few moments and dragged the samsonite, opened the door and let myself inside home. With no one to receive me, all by myself, just the way I had wanted, somehow, it felt strange for the first hour especially after being around so many junta all the while.

Mom would never put these moth balls inside cupboards. I opened my cupboard, it was just the way, I had left it four months ago. My tshirt was mouldy, luckily, the peacock green kanchivaram had escaped.

Mom had not prepared breakfast. She had kept dosa batter outside and bittergourd curry and rice. Around 10 am, after deciding not to do yoga or pranayama, I opened fridge and figured out there was this mudakathan (indravalli keerai) and tomatoes. After 1 minute in mixie, this becomes a green glue which is more bitter than bitter gourd. But with dosa, it is yum.

Typically, I experiment with dosa mix, of course all time staple is rice/black gram. With my lazy bones, crisp ready to mix Kambu (bajra) dosas, ragi dosas, rava dosa variations or with mixie - kollu dosas or pesarattus were my life savers outside home. For this dosa, mom had already kept kambu and wheat mixed together. And Kambu kothumai mudakathan keerai dosa came out real crisp. After preparing the first dosa, I kept the next one on low flame on the stove and when I return to kitchen after eating my first dosa, I had the next crisp dosa ready. Of course, it involves 2 trips to kitchen, but it’s worth it. Was too lazy to open the back door to keep something for the birds. Ate and slept. Oh! these sleeper berths.