Ganike Soppu Kootu:

Monsoon Is the time, when my garden is filled with greens and I make use of all the goodness that mother nature is offering to us.  Ganike soppu is a widely known herb by many regional names like Ganike or Kakke soppu in Kannada, Manathakkali keerai in Tamil. Botanical name is Solanum Nigrum which is originated in South Africa and commonly known as Black nightshade.

It is a medicinal herb and very good for stomach ailments, is what I have heard from my elders. Usually green leaves are used to make Tambli and it is believed that, it is a remedy for menstrual cramps as well as stomach related discomforts.

This time I got a bumper harvest from wildly grown plants and tried to make kootu but without adding coconut. It is a sort of dhal cum sambar. We liked it and thought of sharing it with my readers as well.

Kootu recipe, what I have followed is from Jayanthi Senguttuvan aunty and posted on our Foodie group by Senguttuvan uncle. Made some changes according to our requirement and enjoyed it thoroughly with hot rice as well as dosas.

Ingredients:

Toor dal and Moong dal – ½ + ½ cup each

Turmeric – ½ tea spoon

Hing – ¼ tea spoon

Sambar powder – 1 to 2 tea spoons

Salt

Seasoning:

Oil – 1 table spoon

Mustard – 1 tea spoon

Urad dal – 1 tea spoon

Gram dal – 1 tea spoon

Curry leaves – 1 string

Onion -1 medium

Ganike soppu/ greens – As required

Method:

-Take one cooker, wash dals, put required amount of water, turmeric, hing and cook.

-Wash greens. Chop greens as well as onion.

-Prepare seasoning, heat oil, splutter mustard, fry urad dal, chana dal and add curry leaves, chopped onions and fry for a while.

-Add chopped greens and fry until it wilts.

-Add sambar powder, salt and adjust the consistency by adding water.

– Add cooked, mashed dal, check for the salt and masala, adjust it.

-Boil nicely and serve with rice, roti or Dosa or as you wish to have.