Matha Ila Thoran (മത്ത ഇല തോരൻ-Pumpkin leaf stir fry) is traditional vegetable side dish from Malayalee’s Kitchen. I used to have this in my child hood days when Mom put this together as a quick side dish from our own vegetable garden. These leaves are a good source of different types of vitamins, minerals and rich in anti-oxidants, such as alpha-carotene and Beta–carotene which helps to slow down ageing process. Here I am preparing it from leaves collected from my own home garden, and hence is in full confidence on its organic benefits.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin leaves/flowers :~ 30 leaves (+ I had couple of flowers too)
- Onion chopped : 1 (small)
- Green chilly (chopped) : 3
- Garlic chopped : 3 Cloves
- Grated Coconut :1 cup
- Jeera : A Pinch
- Turmeric powder : ¼ T-sp
- Salt for taste
For tempering:
- Oil : 1 ½ T-sp
- Mustard seeds : ¼ T-sp
- Dried red chilli : 2
- Curry leaves : 1 sprig
Method
- Wash and clean the dark green pumpkin leaves in water and drain the water well.
- Pumpkin leaves have a very small hair-thorn which need to be removed. Take each leaves and roll it with two hands until you feel no thorns on it.
- Then finely chop the leaves and flowers.
- In a mixer add the coconut along with jeera and turmeric powder; pulse it into a coarse mixture ( don’t add any water).
- In a kadai/pan add the oil and splutter the mustard seeds and then add dried chilly along with curry leaves and fry it.
- Add the chopped onion along with garlic and green chilli; fry it until translucent.
- Then add the leaves and sauté it for about 2 minutes and close it and cook it for about 3 minutes ( check out in-between to avoid sticking in the pan, if the leaves are dry sprinkle some water or oil)
- Now add the coconut mixture into the center of the leaves and close it and cook it for another 1 minute.
- Mix the coconut mixture and cook it for about 1 minute. If there is any water content dry it.
Tips:-
- Cooking time may vary each leaves. Mine it took about 7 minute.
