Humble betel leaves find relevance in Hindu puranas, Ramayana and Ayurveda

Chennai

According to Ramayana, when Hanuman reached Lanka to convey Lord Ram’s message to Sita, she gave him a garland made with betel leaves when she couldn’t find anything else to offer. This is why people offer betel leaves while worshipping Hanuman to this date.  

In Mahabharata also, the betel leaf played a significant role. It is believed that Arjun was asked to acquire a betel leaf after his victory over the evil, for the Rajaugya yagnya by the priests. Since there were none available in that area, Arjun had to go to the Kingdom of Snakes — Nag Lok and ask the queen to give him a leaf. This is why the betel leaf is also known as Nagvelli or Nagarbel.

Folklore also has it that while the Pandavas were in exile, a betel leaf kuzhambu was made by Draupadi, when nothing else was available and it became a tradition to make this when one felt under the weather or to celebrate something auspicious.

According to Ayurveda, a paste made from this leaf was referred to  as medicinal, by Ayurveda doctors who saw the results and healing properties of it. Betel leaves contain certain elements which can help cure diseases caused by vaayu (air) and kapha (bile). According to the Vaidyas, betel leaf juice was often prescribed as a kashayam to be served during the later part of a meal to help digestion. 

Thus, vetrilai kuzhambu has travelled through time and many versions of it with spices being added along the way. However, it has become a rarity in modern cooking. 

— Chef Ramaa Shanker is the author of Festive Offerings to the Gods: Divine Soul Recipes

Vetrilai Kuzhambu / Betel Leaves curry

Prep time: 20 min

Cooking time: 15 min

Serves: 3 - 4

Calories per serve: 180 cal. per serve (half a small bowl)

Ingredients 

Betel leaves, chopped into small strips: 8 to 10 | Onions: 1 big (chopped) | Garlic: 10 pods  | Red chillies: 5 | Pepper: 1 tsp | Coriander: 1 tsp | Fenugreek: 1/2 tsp | Asafoetida: 1/2 tsp | Jeera: 1 tsp | Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp | Salt to taste | Tamarind: 1/4 cup ( soak for 10 minutes and extract juice from it ) | Jaggery: 1 tsp | Gingelly oil: 2 tbsp (1 tbsp for frying and remaining for kuzhambu ) | Vadagam: 1 tbsp | Curry leaves: 1 sprig 

Method

•  Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add chopped onions followed by garlic pods.
•  Fry it for a minute and remove from the flame.
•  Grind onions and garlic into a fine paste. 
•  In the same pan, fry jeera, pepper, coriander, red chillies, fenugreek and half the curry leaves on a low flame. 
•  Grind into a fine paste by adding little water and keep aside.
•  Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add vadagam followed by remaining curry leaves.
•  Add the ground paste and sauté it for couple of minutes or till the oil separates from the masala.
•  Add the jaggery.
•  Now, add tamarind extract, required amount of water and salt.
•  Add turmeric powder and asafoetida.
•  Mix well and let it boil for 10 minutes on a medium flame.
•  Add vetrilai/betel leaves strips and cook it for five minutes.
•  Remove from the flame and serve hot with rice.

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