Kurinji Leaves Poriyal/Stir Fried Kurinji Leaves

You might have heard lot about Kurinji flower if you have travelled to Kodaikanal. Kurniji leaves, i came to know about this leaves few months back. While purchasing in my usual Indian store, i saw these leaves packed and arranged in vegetables section. I asked the person who was arranging this leaves about this completely new leaves for me, he immediately told that this leaves are called Kurinji ilai and its good for diabetic peoples, actually i pulled myself to get a packet for these leaves. Back home i tried cooking it as a simple stir fry, this stir fry tastes good if they are mixed with hot rice and eaten immediately or else you can make it as a kootu with moongdal. But however i opted for this easy stir fry, these leaves will tastes bit bitter and obviously one of the greens am trying to add quite often in our diet. Even i feed my kids with this stir fry, anyhow they dont like this stirfry. Anything bitter is better for health rite.The scientific name of this kurinji is Strobulanthus heiniyanus.

I dunno whether this leaves are available in Indian markets, but i heard the Srilankans cook this leaves often. However this quick stir fry was one of the easiest way to cook this healthy, diabetic friendly leaves. If you guys know more about this leaves, dont forget to leave your comments.Apart from making this kind of stir fries or kootu, this leaves can be cooked in tangy gravies else the bitterness of this leaves will definitely dominate the dish and cant eat them with anything. Mixing with rice helps to deduce the bitterness of these leaves.

2cups Kurinji leaves (cleaned & chopped)
4tbsp Yellow moongdal
1no Onion(big & chopped)
4nos Garlic cloves (chopped)
2nos Green chillies(slit opened)
1tsp Mustard seeds+urad dal
2nos Dry red chillies (broken)
3tbsp Grated coconut
Salt
Oil

Heat enough oil,let splutters the mustard seeds, urad dal and fry the dry red chillies.

Add now the chopped onions,slit opened green chillies,garlic cloves,curry leaves,cook until the onions turns transculent.

Finally add the chopped kurinji leaves, salt and sauté for few minutes in medium.Dont overcook the greens.

Now add the grated coconut to the cooked greens and put off the stove.

Serve warm with rice.