Pirandai Thuvayal / Veldt grape Chutney ( பிரண்டை துவையல் )

Pirandai Thuvayal / Veldt grape Chutney   

( பிரண்டை துவையல் )

Ingredient:

Veldt grape/ adamant creeper / Pirandai (பிரண்டை)  - 7 to 8 sticks

Dry Red Chili (மிளகாய் வற்றல் )  -  3

Channa Dhal (கடலை பருப்பு)  - 1tsp 

Split Black Urad Dhal (உளுந்தம் பருப்பு தோலுடன்)  - 1 tsp

Tamarind (புளி)  -  a small amount ( according to the preference)

Asafoetida (பெருங்காயம்)  - 1/6 tsp 

Salt ( உப்பு) - to taste

Sesame Oil ( நல்லெண்ணய்)  - 2 tsp

Steps:

Wash and clean the stem. Remove the leaves and tendrils.

Break into manageable lengths and by doing so remove the veins. You can also use a knife or peeler to remove the veins along the ribbed edges.

Heat a teaspoon of sesame oil in a pan. Roast the red chili and remove. In the same oil, roast the channa dhal and urad dhal separately. Add asafoetida to the hot dhal kept in a plate.

Add a tsp of oil to the same pan and stir fry the veldt grape pieces. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes until it becomes soft. 

Dry grind the chilli and dhalls first to a powder. Later add the stem vegetable.

Grind without or with less waster. 

It is served with hot steamed rice and clarified butter.

It is a good side dish for dosai / Indian pancake.

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My Notes:

The name pirandai thuvayal sounds interesting, isnt? That's how I felt when my cousin sister gave me some of this edible stemmed vine. It was grown at her Mother in law' terrace garden at Chennai and had brought back on return from holidays. It is available in some Indian shops and some wet markets in Singapore.

It also goes by the name adamant creeper as it grows well and creeps to occupy a major portion of your garden with less care. 

I have never cooked pirandai before. Asked her the preparation and added an ingredient - black gram lentil to enhance the flavour.

Grease your palm with oil before you start to clean and chop the pirandai. Other wise you may feel itchy.

Tamarind is also used in this recipe for the same reason, to remove the itchiness while eating. But not all pirandai are itchy.Not to take any chance, add tamarind and saute well in sesame oil.

This chutney is palate tickling with all its ingredients. I didn't get any itchiness.   

Pirandai combined with sesame oil is good for women. Also believed to alleviate knee problem and aids in digestion.

Try this with hot rice and ghee.

Well suites with dosai or idli. 

Can be refrigerated and used within a week. 

Surprisingly my younger son liked it.

It is  somewhere close to the fresh coriander thuvayal.

Try it out and enjoy the taste and its benefits. ;)