Kanakallate Melara/ Bush grape or kadu draakshi Majjige huli

Kanakallate/ bush grapes/ Cayratia mollissima (Name Courtesy: internet) is one of the edible wild fruits/ berries mostly found in the Farms of Dakshina kannada/ Tulunadu and Malenadu region in India. These wines are found climbing wild trees. They are also seasonal and harvested during end of summer or during Monsoon season (aati tingalu in coastal Karnataka/ tulunadu). It is important to identify them and process in right manner before using them in cooking as they cause allergic reaction such as itching. Individuals having allergies should be taken care while eating them.

These berries are used in majjige huli/ melara (which is loved the most), sambhar etc.. raw or unripe. 

The ripe fruits are used in Sasive (click here for savive recipe). It is important to cut, cook and remove seeds of these vegetables before using in dish as seeds can cause more allergic reactions.

Kanakallate

Process of cutting, cooking and removing seeds:

Cut, cook, process kanakallate

Let us check the recipe now.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Kanakallate – 2-3 cups, you can also mix it with Sambhar cucumber

Freshly grated coconut – 1 cup

Fresh buttermilk – ½ cup

Salt – to taste

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Dry Red chilli – 1

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

 

Method:

•  Wash kanakallate in running water. Pat dry with kitchen towel.
• Cut them into half (refer the pics) with a knife. Skin may itch a bit if the fluid touches backside of palm. 
• Boil the cut kanakallate with enough water until soft. It cooks fast with a good boil.
• Switch off and allow them cooling so that you can touch them with your fingers.
• Once boiled kanakallate is cooled,  remove seeds of them and discard. To remove seeds, you need to press the cut pieces a bit with your figers.
• Keep only the vegetable without seeds. Discard the water in which it is boiled too.
• While kanakallate is cooling, grind coconut to smooth paste by adding little water. 
• Add this coconut paste along with butter milk to the cooked and unseeded kanakallate.
• Add salt, chilli powder. Add water to bring required consistency and bring to a quick boil. Don’t over boil it, you should switch off the heat when it starts bubbling.
• Now temper it with mustard, red chilli in coconut oil. Add curry leaves and add it to the majjige huli Serve with boiled red rice and any vegetable stir-fry.