Thotakura Pulusu - A Tangy,Sweety and mildly spiced Amaranth Leaves Pulusu

Leafy vegetables are always healthy! because they are loaded with vitamins, proteins and iron. I use leafy vegetables widely in my kitchen in various forms. I do experiments in making different dishes with greens. Sometimes I make dal, sometimes chutney, fried, sometimes dry curry, stew. Whatever dish you make with leafy vegetables, turns out yummy and nutritious. Out of all green leafy vegetables "Amaranth(Thotakura)"is a healthy and delicious leafy vegetable and is used a lot in South Indian cuisine. Today I am blogging a simple, very easy and tasty dish spiced up with chillies and sweetened with Jaggery " Amaranth Leaves Stew (Thotakura Pulusu)" - a tangy, sweet and subtly spiced stew served as a side dish along with hot steamed white rice. Basic ingredients in this dish are Thotakura aka Amaranth leaves, tamarind juice and a little bit of jaggery. Let us learn how to make Amaranth Leaves Stew Thotakura Pulusu in South Indian style. Before discussing the procedure let me share the key ingredients and the quantity required to make this dish!!

Ingredients :

 Amaranth:    1 big bunch

Green Chillies:    5-6 slit lengthwise

Tamarind Juice   :    3 tablespoons

Jaggery:    1-2 tablespoons

Onions:    2-3 big sized

Turmeric powder:    1/4 tablespoon

Red Chilli powder:    1 tablespoon

Salt:     to taste

Rice flour or Besan flour:    1 tablespoon

For tempering

Chana dal:  1 tablespoon

Urad dal / black gram seeds:  1 tablespoon

Mustard seeds:   1/4 teaspoon

Cumin seeds:  1/4 teaspoon

Red chillies:  2 -3 (tear into pieces)

Fenugreek seeds:  2-4 (just for flavour)

Asafoetida:  big pinch

Curry leaves:   5-6

Procedure :

1. Heat oil in a pan, add chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and red chilli pieces and curry leaves finally with a big pinch of asafoetida fry them few seconds till they turn a golden colour.

2. add chopped onions, green chillies and saute them for 3-4 minutes till onions become slightly pink on medium flame.

3. Add finely chopped Thotakura / amaranth leaves and stalks and stir fry for 4 minutes, then add turmeric powder and salt and combine. Cover with lid and cook till the greens are done.

4. Now add tamarind juice, jaggery and mix well. Add 3 cups of water and cook for 10 minuite till the rawness of tamarind disappears.

5. Now take a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of rice flour or besan with water and prepare a dilute solution. ( If you like the gravy thicker you can add cooked toor dal paste for extra thickness at this moment)

6. Add this diluted solution to the gravy and cook for one more minuite to turn off the flame.

7. Shift into a serving vessel, serve it hot with hot steamed white rice, dal and ghee.