Sundakkai is called ‘Turkey Berry’ in English and its Botanical Name is ‘Solanum torvam’. The cooked berry is used as a Vermifuge. The seeds and its skin acts as a roughage to stomach.

Turkey berry is an erect spiny shrub that is also known by prickley solanum, shoo-shoo bush, devil’s fig, wild egg plant, susumba, boo, terongan, tekokak, berenjena cimarrona, berenjena de gallina, berenjena silvestre, tabacón, pendejera, tomatillo, bâtard balengène, zamorette, friega-platos, pea eggplant, makhua phuang….(Source – Wikipedia)

This is my Mommy’s recipe. She really makes this in a unique way….we could neither call this sambar/kuzhambu. Kind of in between these two! She says….if you do this like any other regular sambar…the veggie will be really bitter. Maybe she is right! And Mommy also uses mann-chatti(earthern pot to grind)these beriies. Maybe it also contributes in some way to that unique taste.

My brother loves this recipe! When myself and my brother met at India….nearly after 2 and half years. I prepared this dish for him. Mommy was like…how come I figured the method and ingredients….without asking her at any point. I consider myself thats a great compliment!

Ingredients:

Turkey berries few bunch
Green chilies 6 finely chopped
Garlic 2 whole heads peeled & semi crushed
Onions 2 finely chopped
Tomatoes 2 chopped
Thoor dal 2 fistful
Tamarind paste 1/2 spoon
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Chili powder 1 spoon
Asafoetida 1/4 spoon
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 spoon
Curry leaves few spoons
Oil few spoons.

Method:

Remove the stalk from the berries and wash them. Set aside.

In a wide vessel, boil 2 cups of water. Add salt and pinch of turemric to it. Now add berries, cover and cook for about 7-10 minutes. Or until the berries are tender.

Now remove them from heat and coarsely grind them in earthern pot(if you have one)or use wooden masher….and mash them gently. So that the berries release their fine seeds. Set aside.

Pressure cook thoor dal till tender.

Now heat a skillet. Add few spoons of oil. Start adding chilies, garlic, onions and tomatoes. Fry real good…until fragrant.

Add salt, turmeric, chili powders to it. Followed by ground berry and thoor dal.

Bring this to boil and finaly add tamarind and continue cooking over medium heat for few more minutes.

In a seperate pan, heat oil. Crackle up the seasonning spices and run this over the sambar made.