I really can’t believe that we are in the letter ‘T’ already ! I feel like we have just started this A-Z theme based marathon and we have already into the third week !


Anyways, for the letter ‘T’ I made a simple eggless Tutti Frutti cake .But there are already a few recipes posted by my fellow marathoners, so I have pushed it to the drafts and posting  this herbal rasam instead……

I usually buy vegetables and fruits from the farmer’s market near my house and once day when I came out of that campus, an elderly person had spread a while cloth on the ground and sat behind it. In front of him, on the cloth were small packets of some greens.

As a foodie, it is only natural that I go and ask him what it was and he promptly replied that it is ‘Thooduvalai’. I have heard about this greens many times but never seen it before. So was tempted to buy a pack which cost INR 10.

After handing over a packet, he even told me how to prepare rasam with it and started explaining the health benefits of this leaf! I just realized that an elderly person from the village side, had more knowledge about the healthy stuff than we people living in the cities!

I have been to the farmer’s market sever times after that trip and I don’t see him there. Maybe comes on those days that I on;t go there or he was there just for that day so that I could buy a pack and try this healthy rasam!

T – Thoodhivalai Rasam / Herbal Rasam
Theme – Misc

Thoodhuvalai leaf looks like this….

And it had plenty of thorns…Can you see them in them in the circled area…

Thooduvalai leaves can be made into chutney/ dip, Kashayam / tonic , Gravy, Powder / spice mixes,soup , dosa etc.The most popular recipe is this rasam.

The other names include –

  • Solanum Trilobalum,
  • Purple fruited pea eggplant,
  • Thai nightshade
  • Mothiringnee [Marathi]
  • Thooduvalai [Tamil]
  • Achuda  /agnidamani / Alarka [Sanskrit]
  • Tudavalam [Malayalam]
  • Alarkapatramu / Kondavuchinta / Mullamusti[Telugu]
  • Kakamunji / Ambusondeballi [Kannada]
  • Bryhoti[Oriya]

This is a creeper plant and has small bluish-purple flowers.It is  used extensively as a herbal medicine.All the parts – leaves, root and flowers are used.

The properties are…

  • It is used to treat sore throat, cold and cough
  • This plant contains natural steroids.
  • It is said have anti microbial,anti fungal and anti tumor activities.
  • It relieves the stomach pain caused by heat and flatulence.
  • In Siddha medicine, it is believed to be a blood-thinner, hence preventing several diseases and disorders.
  • The juice if applied internally is said to treat ear ailments, etc…
Now to the recipe…
I used:
Thooduvalai leaves- 20 numbers,remove the thorns and wash well
Toor dal- 1/4 cup
Tamarind extract- 1 tablespoon, mixed in 1/4 cup of hot water
Tomato-1 chopped
Turmeric powder-a pinch
Asafoetida powder- a pinch
Ghee- 1 + 1 teaspoon
Mustard- 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves- a few
Salt to taste
For spice mix – Roast in a little oil and grind to a fine powder / paste
Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Peppercorn-1 teaspoon
Garlic-3 pearls,chopped
Coriander seeds- 1 tablespoon
Red chili-2
  1. Pressure cook the dhal with enough water and mash well.
  2. Mix in the tamarind extract, spice mix and keep aside.
  3. Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan and saute the thoodhuvalai leaves till they shrink,for a couple of minutes.Remove from pan and keep aside.
  4. In the same pan, add another teaspoon ghee and put in mustard, cumin and curry leaves. 
  5. When the mustard splutters, add the tomato and cook for a couple of minutes.
  6. Add the dal mixture, salt, asafoetida, turmeric powder, sauteed leaves and simmer for 5 minutes.
  7. Increase the heat and let it come to a rolling boil.
  8. Remove from heat and serve as a side dish with steamed rice / as a soup.

Take a look at the Blogging Marathon page to check out what my friends are cooking in this A- Z series…



Logo courtesy : Preeti
Previously in this series… 
A – Azuki Bean Brownies – Baked
B – Butterfly Pea Flower Drink – Misc. / Thai
C – Congyou Bailuobosi – International / Chinese
D – Dates Cake – Eggless / No milk / No butter!!! – Baked
E – Elaneer Payasam [Tender coconut Kheer] – Regional / Kongunad cuisine
F – Falooda – Ice cream Falooda And Kulfi Falooda – Regional / N.Indian
G– Gatte Ka Pulao – Regional / Rajastani Cuisine
H– Huo Guo – Misc/ Non Food Post / Restaurant Review
I – Italian Bhel Puri Salad – International / Fusion
J – Jui Cai Bing / Chinese Scallion Pancakes  – International / Chinese
K – Kiri bhat and Chilli Sambal – International / Sri Lanka
LLeprechaun Shake / Shamrock Shake – Misc
M – Mysore Rasam – Regional / Karnataka

N – Nannari Sherbet – Regional / Tamil Nadu
O – Olo Kobi Bhaja – Regional / Odisa

P – Pirandai Thuvaiyal – Misc / Condiments
Q Qahwa Arabaia / Arabian Coffee – International
R– Ragi cupcakes – Baked
SSavory Semolina – Vegetable Bake – Baked

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19 thoughts on “Thoodhuvalai Rasam | Herbal Rasam”

  1. very beautiful post PJ, you are lucky to stumble upon such greens, but i guess you also have an eye for such things, how did it taste eventually, is it like herbal in taste, and if so..which herb does it come closer too..

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