For years I have watched videos by health gurus abroad advocating the use of Ashwagandha as a herbal powder which can be added to juices, smoothies or even had as a health tonic. I knew of it only in bottled or packaged form. It is used extensively in Ayurvedic practices and it’s health properties are advocated by wellness experts all over the world.
For years I have watched videos by health gurus abroad advocating the use of Ashwagandha as a herbal powder which can be added to juices, smoothies or even had as a health tonic. I knew of it only in bottled or packaged form. It is used extensively in Ayurvedic practices and it’s health properties are advocated by wellness experts all over the world.
A few years ago I realised that it was actually the root of a medicinal plant which was dried and powdered to make this Ashwagandha powder. Since the Indian landscape is home to medicinal plants of such an extensive nature I assumed that the Ashwagandha grew in less inhabited regions, up in the mountains somewhere.
Earlier this year in February, I was walking around my Aunt’s backyard and I noticed this small bush simply because of the pretty red berries on it. (I enjoy spotting berries on plants whether edible or just ornamental) My Uncle’s wife Suganya (Grandma’s goodies fame) said it was left to grow wild as my elder uncle was fond of eating the berries. She called it "pennarukkai" which I heard but promptly forgot until last week when I spotted the same plant at our farm.
The farmers called it “amukkalangai” and said it was good for the brain and body. When I checked back with Suganya, she said, ”the medical name is Ashwagandha” I felt ridiculous for not knowing and excited at the same time to make the connect. Findings like these are what motivates me to share and to never stop learning !
The next thing on the agenda was to learn how to cook the edible berries. I am always grateful to be able to interact with knowledgeable home cooks who excel in cooking with native ingredients. Sunitha Santhanagopal is one such person who is a veritable walking encyclopedia on foraged foods, the pairings and the manner in which to cook it.
Before I could message her, she replied to my instagram story of the Ashwagandha plant to tell me that the red berries are tastier than the green. Apparently she had sent me a picture months ago which had clearly escaped my attention.I probably didn’t relate to it since I hadn’t come across the plant myself.
The plan the next day was to go on the forage for some red Ashwagandha berries. I could only get a small handful which was actually okay because it just so happened that I was lunching solo. Not only was it plenty for me but I could also experiment away without having to worry about whether the family would like it.
The red berries are also known as winter cherry, the botanical name being withania somnifera. The Ashwagandha root is also known as the Indian ginseng or ‘amukkara’ in Tamil. In Sanskrit ‘Ashwa’ means horse and ‘Gandha’ means smell, as the root is said to possess a very earthy horse like aroma.
I brought back my small harvest of ashwaghandha berries, cradling it like treasure, with outer skin and all. The berries are encased in a small serrated bell like cone. When the berries are green the outer casing also remains green. As the berries ripen, the exterior turns brown and thin,almost to a papery texture. This, I’m told is the best time to harvest them. A lot of care has to be taken when removing the brown cover as the berries can easily get squashed. The tiny berries are loaded with minuscule seeds .
Once the covering was removed, the berries were gently washed in a misty spray of water before cooking. Using a medium sized pan to heat a tablespoon of nallennai (Cold pressed sesame oil) the berries were sautéed with a bit of salt, chilli powder, dhania and jeera powder. We used small pinches each of spice powders for flavouring. Sunitha aunty sent a picture of her kadai filled with the cooked berries and said to take a closer look to know what the berries looked like when cooked. Her faith in my abilities is what prompted me to cook it until the colour looked as golden and burnished as the ones in her picture.
When I settled down to tasting the Ashwagandha berries, I was more than pleasantly surprised, delighted actually. The skin had crisped up and had a crunchy texture.The masala powders had amalgamated nicely and the berries had a slightly bitter after taste similar to that of a pavakkai vathal. It was delicious to eat on it’s own or mixed into hot, cooked rice.
This is definitely an ingredient that I will cook with more often for the family. The health benefits are too vast to list here. From curing immunity disorders, stress, mental illness, physical stamina to more serious illnesses, the Ashwagandha is a local super food that we need to hold on to. While I am happy to buy the root in powder form from the herbal stores, the plant is a great addition to the home kitchen garden!