Mathan Ela Thoran | Pumpkin Leaves Stir fry

There are many traditional and age old recipes which were made by our great mothers back in their times.These recipes were carried on to the next generations, few of them have extinct due to unavailability of resources like those plants have vanished( reasons due to improper care or due to extreme weather conditions). However, whenever you get to taste these flavors its just mesmerizing. Today's recipe is one such wonder stir fry. Mom introduced me to this stir fry and she makes frequently whenever there is a creeper growing up.All you need is fresh tender leaves of pumpkin plant. This is a very delicious stir fry with steaming hot boiled rice. The duo make a perfect combo and you need no extra curries with it. The quantity is very less as we make other green leafy veggies stir fry. Do try if you get hold of these leaves and enjoy making it at home !

Ingredients
 mathan ela / pumpkin leaves a small bunch
Shallots/ kunjulli 10 or Onion (savala )1 small
Mustard seed 1/2 tsp
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves a sprig
Oil 2 tbsp
Ghee /neyyu 1 tsp
Salt to taste

to grind coarse (optional)
Coconut grated 1/2 cup
Garlic sliced 3
Green chillies 2 or 3

Method

• Snip the light green leaves(tender leaves) or towards the tip of the creeper.If you can pluck mathan / pumpkin flowers,can also add that in the thoran/stir fry.
• Wash under running water,drain water completely and leave for 10 mins. Chop the leaves and flowers small and keep aside.Add finely chopped shallots or onion.
• In a bender,add the listed ingredients to grind coarsely.Pulse twice and keep aside. OR you can just add cut green chillies, sliced garlic and grated coconut just like that,I have left it just like that.
• Heat a pan and add oil.When oil is hot,add mustard seeds to crackle.Add in curry leaves.
• Add the turmeric powder on low flame and then slide in the chopped leaves with shallots.
• Mix well and cover it up with a lid.Leave on low flame for 2 mins. After two mins, check the stir fry,mix again and now add the coarsely ground coconut mixture along with salt as required.
• Cover the lid and leave for another two mins. Add in the 1tsp ghee and mix well.
• Switch off flame,leave covered for 5 mins for ghee flavors to seep in. Serve warm with rice.

NOTES
* Snip only the tender leaves of the plant.Else it doesn't taste so good.
* You can either add turmeric powder along with coarsely grind list or as mentioned above.
* You can also add 1/4 tsp chilly powder instead of green chillies.In that case warm it up along with turmeric powder.
* Add salt only when the leaves are wilted slightly otherwise you may end up adding more salt.
* Adding ghee imparts a special flavor.

RELATED POSTS OF GREEN LEAFY STIR FRY-
* Green Onion Stir Fry (Ulli ela Thoran)
* Spinach-Jackfruit seed Stir fry (Cheera-chakkakuru Thoran)
* Celery Stir Fry (Thoran)
* Asparagus Egg Stir fry (Thoran)
* Methi Leaves Stir Fry( Uluva Ela Thoran)
* Beet Leaves stir Fry(Thoran)