Doddapatre in most homes are used only as decorative plant even I too believed it to be so until I chanced upon the tambli recipe in Vijay karnataka newspaper and after that I came to know its various healing properties..
Doddapatre in various languages
Sanskrit: Pashanbhedi
English :
Coleus aromaticus, Cuban oregano/Spanish Thyme/Indian Borage
Botanical name: Plectranthus amboinicus
Hindi : Patharchur / ajwain ke pattha
Tamil: Karpuravalli/Omavalli
Marati: Ova paan
Some doddapatre may not be edible plants
How to check ediblity of Doddapatre?
I warn here not all types are good as I accidently consumed doddapatre
planted in my friends place and instead of cure I was left with itchy
throat so to test its ediblity first rub it in your hand a bit and in
five minutes if you feel itching it means its not edible one...
Let us see how it can be grown
How to grow Doddapatre?
I usually get a pruned stem and plant it in pot ...
This plant needs to be pruned regularly to make grow well...Also excessive watering will make its root to rot.... The mature leaves from the pruned stem can be used for medicinal or culinary uses..
Home remedies:
1.Sore throat and asssociated cough:
Doddapatre is very good remedy for sore throat if used at the onset for this one leaf was cut and washed thoroughly then apinch of salt smeared on it and then it should be chewed well this remedy prevents sore throat and cough problem as well...edible one....
2. Cough in Kids
This I have taken from post by my Fellow ILite Shanvy
For details you can check
here
Clean ajwain leaves - 5/7 leaves (if you do not have leaves, use carrom(ajwan)
seeds -1tblsp -I just run it in mixie and keep it so that it steeps into
the
extract well)
Pepper corn -10numbers
dry raisins - 10 numbers
indian basil - 10/15leaves (if available very good)
betel leaves - 2 leaf.(if available very good)
sugar candy - 1tsp.
ginger- 1/2 inch piece crushed.
jeera - 1/2tsp
Take 2/3 cups
of water and boil all the above
ingredients till it comes to almost half the quanity. leave it to cool. crush everything and strain it.
add a little honey and give it to the child. if it is a 5+ you can add little lime juice
and honey when it is a little warm.
the same can be prepared and left in the fridge and given in the night,
when the cough tends to become severe, warm a little of the tea and
give the child sleeps well.
In infants the mucus comes out in the form of vomit/loose
motions too. but this has a balance of all the ingredients..so no heat.
3. when the cough is really unbearable, just wash, pat dry the leaves,
crush them well in a pestle or run it on your roti belan (the roti maker
) . strain and you get a few drops of juice..have it straight it
controls.
Recipes :
1.Tambli
I make Doddapatre tambli: For it I just fry doddapatre and green chillies one after other in few drops of gheethen grind it with fresh cocut and blend this with beaten curds and if you wish you can give tadka or else can have without tadka...
2.Chutney recipe by Shanvy...
This chutney recipe is a little hot..only
for those who like to try something different.
10 - leaves..wash and pat dry.
3 red chillies.
5 peppercorns
2 tsp- urad dal.
1 tblsp - coconut
1 piece of tamarind.
1 tsp oil
roast the chillies, pepper corns, and urad dal until urad dal turns
golden brown..add the coconut and tamarind..now add the leaves..saute it
... cool and run coarse in the mixie..if you do not like it
gooey..remove the leaves and run
the rest..when
it is coarse, add the leaves, a 1/2 tsp salt..and run once.. you can
temper it ..eaten with hot rice and gingelly oil, with any vegetable.. i
use it for my dosas too..
warning: it is a little different..try small quanitities.
i also use it as a
salad dressing. i make thattai where i used very thinly sliced ajwain leaf.
I make the traditional kariveppilai kuzhambu replacing the curry leaves with the ajwain leaf..
3.Ajwain patthe ka chai
Boil 1 piece of ginger, 2 leaves of ajwain with a dash of lemon rind.in a cup of water..allow
it to steep well . strain and add a little honey/candy sugar and
have..it helps me a lot when i have headaches due to cold.
you can actually add carrom seeds in black tea.
Vadas can also be prepared by dipping the leaves in besan batter
For Tambli chutney recipe
Please check this blog
here
