Indian vegetable - Turkey Berry/Sundakkai/Solanum Torvum - What is turkey berry? Origin, Description, How to use turkey berry/sundakkai?, How to clean sundakkai/turkey berry? along with Purchase and Storage of Sundakkai/Turkey berry.
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What is Turkey berry/Sundakkai Uses/Turkey Berry Uses/Sundakkai Vathal Uses/Hati Bhekuri Uses/Devil’s Fig Uses/Pea Eggplant Uses/Plate Brush/Susumber
What is Turkey Berry/Sundakkai?
As the saying, “Good things come in small packages”. Turkey berry/Sundakkai is a small green pea-shaped fruit usually treated as a vegetable and is an underrated ingredient. Even though it is smaller in size it is a great source of plant-based iron. In fact, it is renowned for its valuable properties, particularly in healing stomach aches and enhancing digestion.
In this article, I've shared information about "Sundakkai/Turkey berry" including its flavour, culinary uses, and tips to buy and store ideas.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ORIGIN OF TURKEY BERRY/SUNDAKKAI
Turkey berry grows best in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Many experts believed to be it first originated from warmer regions of Central and South America.
Because of the various health benefits of turkey berries, it was further introduced to many parts of the world including Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific Islands, Sri Lanka, and India.
In India, turkey berry is found throughout the country including Tamilnadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam.
DESCRIPTION OF TURKEY BERRY/SUNDAKKAI
Turkey berry is an evergreen bushy, erect, and spiny perennial plant. The plant is usually 2 or 3m in height and grows up to 5m. The turkey berry Plant blooms white or cream-hued flowers, which upon budding, develop into green turkey berry fruit. Its fruit grows in clusters that look like green peas. They become yellow when fully ripe. It is not a long-lived plant; most survive a maximum of 2 years.
Turkey berry grows best in sunlight and moist soil. It also tolerates drought conditions.
FEW INDIAN REGIONAL OR VERNACULAR NAMES OF TURKEY BERRY
Solanum torvum, the turkey berry also known as devil’s fig, pea eggplant, plate brush or susumber.
Tamil name – Sundakkai.
Kannada name – Kundane kayi.
Telugu name – kottuvastu.
Marathi name – Bihari.
Sanskrit name – Marang.
Hindi name – Bhukat/Bhankatiya.
Assamese name – Hati bhekuri/Tita bhekuri.
FLAVOUR OF TURKEY BERRY/SUNDAKKAI
Fresh Sundakkai/Turkey berry is bitter in taste. Drying Sundakkai helps to reduce bitterness but it takes saltiness from salt and buttermilk water (it is a special liquid prepared to preserve Sundakkai). Be careful while adding fresh Turkey berry/Sundakkai, too much taste bitter. Again, be careful with salt while using dried Sundakkai because it already contains some salt.
INDIAN CULINARY USES OF TURKEY BERRY/SUNDAKKAI
Turkey berry/Sundakkai is a common ingredient in Tamilnadu cuisine. At least once in 10 days fresh or dried Sundakkai is used in cooking. In the Iyengar community, Sundakkai is a must ingredient eaten to break their fasting.
FRESH SUNDAKKAI/TURKEY BERRY
Before using fresh turkey berries, proper cleaning is very important. There is a special procedure to clean it. The following steps will help you to clean sundakkai -
1. Remove the stalk of the berries. Wash it in 2-3 exchanges of water. Using mortar and pestle, pound and break all the turkey berries. Once done breaking all the berries, immediately put them in the water. (This step helps to avoid the browning of berries and also helps to reduce the bitterness from berries).
2. Before using pounded berries wash them again in 2-3 exchanges of the water.
After following the above steps, you can use them in Sundakkai vathal, chutneys, curries, pickles, sambhar, soups, poriyal, and Thuvaiyal.
DRIED SUNDAKKAI/TURKEY BERRY
After cleaning fresh berries, it is made into vathal (dried turkey berry).
Tamil cuisine's famous recipe Vathal Kuzhambu is made with dried turkey berries. It is also simply fried in oil and use as an accompaniment to rice.
Another important Tamil cuisine recipe is Angaya Podi (Which is a blend of different dried leaves, vegetables, fruits, and spices).
TOP 5 MUST-TRY TURKEY BERRY/SUNDAKKAI RECIPES
1. Vathal Kuzhumbu made with fresh or dried turkey berry (curry)
2. Angaya podi
3. Fresh Sundakkai/Turkey berry chutney
4. Chettinad Sundakkai Soup
5. Mashed potato with Turkey Berry
In the picture - Sundakkai chutney recipe/Turkey berry chutney recipe/Pachai sundakkai chutney recipe
For the detailed sundakkai chutney recipe/turkey berry chutney recipe. Kindly, click the below link to check out -
🔗Sundakkai chutney recipe/Turkey berry chutney recipe/Pachai sundakkai chutney recipe
TIPS TO BUY AND STORE TURKEY BERRY/SUNDAKKAI
Dried Turkey berry is easily available in any Indian store. Look for freshness and buy completely dried berries.
Fresh Turkey berry is available at local vegetable sellers. Look for green even smooth skin without any cut.
HOW TO STORE TURKEY BERRY/SUNDAKKAI?
You can easily store Fresh Sundakkai/Turkey Berry in the refrigerator for 2 days and dried berries for 6-8 months in an air-tight glass container.
(once in 2 months, place dried Sundakkai in sunlight for 1 hour).
HAPPY COOKING!
with better ingredients for better food.
Do try the recipe using "Pachai Sundakkai/Fresh Turkey Berry"
🔗Sundakkai chutney recipe/Turkey berry chutney recipe/Pachai sundakkai chutney recipe
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