Leaves as a Family Food - Basella alba

All about Malabar Spinach - Basella alba as a family food!

Dr. Jyoti D Vora, Mumbai based Nutraceutical Scientist passionately writes about this plant;

Health Benefits

The plant has diuretic, emollient, and demulcent effects. The plant has been used for its antifungal, anticonvulsant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and androgenic activities and for the treatment of anaemia. The mucilaginous liquid obtained from the leaves and tender stalks of plants is a popular remedy for headaches. Leaves are used in constipation, urticaria and gonorrhoea and also used in poultice local swellings, intestinal complaints.

Five simple recipes in two or three sentences

I.Bhaji 

Wash and chop. Sauté onion on oil till turn brown. Add garlic +Turmeric +Masala +Cooked dal +Tamarind. Cook for 10 mins +Garnish with grated coconut.

II.Salad

Take a bowl, add the Malabar spinach leaves, green chilli, salt to taste, sugar and lime juice. Mix well. Now add the coconut and peanuts and toss well. Serve it immediately.

III.Soup

Clean the mayalu leaves and wash. heat oil and butter together over medium flame. Add bay leaf, chopped onions and garlic and sauté till they turn golden brown, chopped mayalu leaves and sauté on medium flame for a minute till they shrink in size. Blend to smooth pure crushed black pepper and jaggery.

IV.Paratha 

Take whole wheat flour in a bowl Sprinkle salt, crushed black pepper and jeera or ajwain Add a Tsp of oil and rub all the ingredients together Now add the purée into whole wheat flour mixture Spoon in a little yogurt. knead with a teaspoon of oil into a soft dough. roll out a ball of dough into a small circle. To roast the paratha, put it on a heated tawa or pan or skillet.

V. Idli

Mayalu puree +Idli batter. Steam it. Serve with coconut chutney.

Vedic/ Religious/Cultural significance

In Ayurveda system, the herb is used to bring sound refreshing sleep when it is applied on head about half an hour before bathing. It is also used for haemorrhages, skin diseases, sexual weakness, ulcers in children and pregnant women. The paste of the root is applied to swellings and is also used as a rubefacient. The sap is applied to acne eruptions to reduce inflammation. Sugared juice of the leaves is useful for catarrhal afflictions. The leaf juice is a demulcent and is in dysentery. The flowers are used as an antidote to poisons and diuretics. According to Charaka Samhita, Potaki prescribe for in retention of urine and faeces. In case Ama is digesting but still the patient suffers from diarrhoea passing stool with retention, pain, mucus, and tenesmus in small quantity but frequently the patient should be fed with the soup of Potaki.

Caraka said that Potaki can be used for alleviates necrosis. Caraka says that Potaki cooked with sesame paste causes diarrhoea and in Sushruta Samhita mentioned Potaki cures piles, which helps easy elimination of urine and faeces.

Further insights are detailed by Dr. Mahantesh B Patil, Agri Specialist and Scientist  

• Selecting the right variety and sourcing
• Gardening preparations
• Care for a healthy growth
• Common issues and the remedies
• Success Stories
• Farmer connect 
• Neighborhood connect

The program is a part of our bigger initiative http://greenworkforce.in/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Family-First-Programs-by-greenworkforce-Aug-22-v2.pdf 

Inviting modern families to join us! Bring school going children as well to attend.