Thuti Akku kura Curry

This is one of my favorite leafy vegetable. I was excited and surprised to see it in the Chinese store. It is used in most eastern and southern Asian cuisines. Typically it has a Long hollow stems, long broad leaf. It is grown in water. It is also know as water spinach, in Chinese On Choy, Ong Choy and in Telugu (India) Thuti Akkukura.



This is a very simple and easy to cook. Separate the leaves and tender stems from the stems. Wash the leaves and drain the water. Chop the leaves.
Ingredients to cook: One onion finely chopped, 6 Tbs oil, about 8 red chillis, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, cumin/jeera seeds/ urad dal. 1/4 tsp turmeric, Salt to taste. Optional to add some whole garlic pods.
In a wide pan add the oil, when it is warm add the seasoning. When it splutters, add the chopped onions and garlic and turmeric.Fry till it is golden brown in color. Now add the chopped leaves. Add a little salt, Mix it well. Close the lid for couple of minutes. The leaves get cooked and reduce it to half of the quantity. When the leaves are completely cook and if there is some water left, remove the lid and keep it open. Adjust the taste. Let it fry for sometime. Serve with rice or roti.

Andhra Style - GONGURA PAPPU

Fresh leaves of gongura cooked with dal.

GONGURA PAPPU:
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:
1 Bunch Fresh Gongura Leaves
1 Cup toor dal 1/4 cup chana dal
6 Red Chillies
6 Green Chillies
6 Curry Leaves
1tps mustard seed
1/2 tps cumin seeds
1/2 tps urad dal
Pinch of hing
Pinch of Turmeric
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.Clean gongura leaves. Seperate the leaves from the stems. Wash the leaves in water. Drain the water.

2.Take a pan and put 5 teaspoons of oil. When the oil gets warm. Put the Gongura leaves in the oil also add some salt to it. Keep frying it till the leaves get cooked and reduce to a small quantity.

3. Let the leaves cool down. Grind the leaves to a paste.

4. Cook 1 cup toordal and 1/4 cup channa dal and keep it asside.

5. Cut 1/2 Onion, 6 green chilies. In a pan, put5 tsps of oil, put poppu
(Mustard seeds, Jeera, Red chilies, Hing). Let the mustard seeds splutter in oil and then add oions, green chilies and curryleaves. Add some turmeric and salt. and fry it till its cooked and golden brown.
Later, add this to the cooked dal along with the paste of the gongura leaves. Stir the whole mixture. Let dal boil for sometime with all the poppu and gongura leaves paste.

6. It ready to eat. Serve with rice or roti!!!.
It's yummy and mouth watering.