Turkey berry / Sundakkai Vathal / Sunda Vathal is widely used for culinary and medicinal purposes. These berries are either used as fresh berries or dried berries. Turkey berries are soaked in butter milk for one day and then dried in the hot sun for at least 15 days and then used for cooking. It is great medicine for weight reduction. I have seen that magic in my life. I ate sundakkai kulambu, 2 chapathi and a small bowl of rice for 48 days plus walking. I have reduced so many pounds.  Many people they don’t like this vathal because of its bitter taste , try to eat it for health reasons. It is very good for digestion, liver and  it kills germs in stomach. Coming to this recipe, it is very quick to make dish with less ingredients. Try to have this rice every week..you can see the changes to your health.  Try this medicinal rice and let me know your feedback. Also check this recipe Vendakkai Sunda Vatha Kulambu.


     Ingredients

         2 Cups of Cooked Rice
         1 Tbsp of Sundakkai Vathal / Dried Turkey Beans
         7 Small Onions/ Shallots, Whole
         1 Medium Size Large Red Onion, Finely Chopped
         10 Garlic Cloves, Whole
         1 Tbsp of Sunda Vathal Powder
         Salt to taste

     To Temper

         1 Tbsp + 1 Tsp of Indian Sesame Oil / Gingelly Oil
         1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
         1 Tsp of Urad Dal
         2 Red Chillies
         Handful of Curry Leaves

      Method

• Heat a pan with little oil, add 1 tbsp of sunda vathal, fry for 1-2 min and grind it to a fine powder using mixie or spice grinder.
• Heat a pan with oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and red chillies (break it), after it splutter, add small onion, chopped large onion, garlic cloves, sunda vathal and salt, saute this for 3 mins in a medium high flame, until it turns to golden brown color and raw smell vanishes.
• In a low flame, add turmeric powder, fry for few secs.
• Add cooked rice and sunda vathal powder and a tsp of oil, toss well with a spoon in a low flame.  Turn off the flame.
• Serve hot with any vegetable fry and papad.              

     Tips

• Careful while adding salt, because sunda vathal already has salt in it.
• You can also use manna thakali vathal instead of sundakkai vathal.
• Try to use small onions for the whole dish, I used 1 large onion because I have only few small onion in my pantry.

   
     Health Benefits of Sundakkai Vathal / Dried Turkey Berry

• Turkey berry is an ancient plant and is used in many Ayurvedic treatments. It has sedative, diuretic and digestive properties. It is used in curing coughs. It is a good tonic for liver. The unripe fruits are used to strengthen immunity power and also reduce body heat.
• Control Diabetes – If we turkey berry for 4 days in any form, diabetes will come in control.
• Turkey berries are used in the treatment of mucus, cough or phlegm. Berries are dried, powdered and then taken for curing these illnesses.
• The berries help in proper digestion. They kill harmful bacterial growth in the stomach and intestines. They help in destroying intestinal worms owing to their bitter taste. They cure infections in the stomach and liver. They also stimulate regular activities of the bowel.
• Turkey berries are used in traditional medicines to cure night blindness. It strengthens the nerves in the eyes and provides a clear vision.
• Solanum Torvum is also used worldwide to treat various ailments like piles, asthma, chest phlegm, tuberculosis and severe cough. Take equal quantities of dried turkey berry along with the dried Indian gooseberry or amla, fenugreek seeds, Ajwain seeds, dry ginger powder, cumin seeds, dried curry leaves, shells of pomegranate & soft seeds of mango fruit. Make a powder with all these ingredients. Add 1 teaspoonful of this powder in 1 cup of warm milk. This herbal drink is very good for your health and it supports a healthy immune system.

          Chaats are Indian snack, which are so addictive. There are so many varities of chaat can be made. One among them is Peanuts chaat, they are yummy snack made with peanuts, onion, carrot, salt and pepper. In India, you can see this kind of chaat in beach stalls, street side stalls and food cart, sold in cones made of newspaper. This peanut chaat is delicious, rich in protein and low in fat. This can be served as an evening snack. Also check the recipe for boiled peanuts.


      Ingredients

         1 Cup of Boiled Peanuts
         1 Medium Size Carrot, Grated
         1 Medium Size Red Onion, Chopped
         1/2 Cup of Cucumber, Diced
         1 Medium Size Tomato, Chopped
         1 Green Onion (Spring Onion), Chopped
         1 Tbsp of Lemon Juice
         1/4 Tsp of Black Pepper
         1/4 Tsp of Chaat Masala
         Pinch of Black Salt
         Coriander Leaves (Cilantro), Finely Chopped
         Salt to taste

      Method

• In a bowl, add boiled peanuts, chopped onion, chopped tomato, diced cucumber, black pepper, chaat masala, lemon juice, black salt and salt. Toss well with a spoon.
• Finally garnish it with chopped coriander leaves, grated carrot and chopped green onion.

     Tips

• If you don’t have chaat masala, just add salt and pepper.
• You can add chopped green chillies and red chilly powder to this snack for more spicy taste.
• Add any vegetables or fruits of your choice like grated beetroot or cabbage or mango.
• Be careful while adding salt because boiled peanuts has already salt in it.

       Boiled peanuts are popular in places where peanuts are common. Fully mature peanuts do not make good quality boiled peanuts rather the  raw or green ones are used. Boiling the peanuts are very easy at home. You can cook raw peanuts in different ways like stockpot method or in pressure cooker or crock pot. I prefer pressure cooker method which makes my work easier. Cooking time vary greatly depending on how fresh the peanuts are. The fresher the peanuts, less time it takes to cook. You can make so many Indian recipes with peanuts like burfi, laddu, rice and chat. But I love to eat the fresh boiled peanuts for evening snack as it has no extra calories in it like no oil or sugar. Try this recipe at home and enjoy !!!!!!


     Ingredients

        3 cups of Raw, Fresh Peanuts
        5 cups of Water
        3.5 tsp of Salt
        Pressure Cooker

     Method

• Wash and rinse the raw peanuts several times in water to remove the dirt and debris.
•  Soak the washed raw peanuts in a big bowl of water for 2 hrs or overnight. Again, wash it in cold water.
• After that, add the soaked, washed peanuts to a pressure cooker.
• Add salt and enough water to a pressure cooker containing peanuts.
• Now close the lid of pressure cooker, turn on the flame and wait for 2 whistles and then simmer it for 45 mins. Turn off the flame and let the pressure release on its own.
• Pour the cooked peanuts to a colander and drain the water. Cool for few mins.
• Break open the fresh peanuts and enjoy the tasty boiled peanuts.

     Tips

• You can cook the peanuts either in pressure cooker or stockpot or crock pot.
• Adjust the amount of salt according to your taste.
• You can store boiled peanuts in refrigerator for 2-3 days. Store it in a airtight container and enjoy cold peanuts.

     Health Benefits of Peanuts

• Rich in energy.
• Good source of monounsaturated fat, niacin, folate, vitamin E and anti-oxidants.
• Prevent gall stones  and good for heart.
• Good source of resveratrol which reduces the risk of stroke.