{{More footnotes|date=March 2021}} {{Short description|Edible form of the roselle plant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}} {{Distinguish|text=Rumex acetosella or Red Sorrel}} {{Infraspeciesbox | image = Guntur Gongura1.jpg | image_caption = At a market in Guntur, India | genus = Hibiscus | species = sabdariffa | varietas = rubra<ref name="dispatch">{{cite web|title=Plant of the Week: Roselle red-stemmed gongura|url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/lifestyle/home-garden/how-to/2012/08/26/plant-week-roselle-red-stemmed/23485669007/|publisher=The Columbus Dispatch|date=2012-08-26}}</ref> }} thumb|Gongura saplings '''''Gongura''''' ('''''Hibiscus sabdariffa ''var.'' rubra'''''), or '''Puntikura''', or ''Gogaaku'' is a variety of the roselle plant grown for its edible leaves in India and in other countries like Fiji.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Sen |first1=Colleen Taylor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AzysEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA22 |title=The Bloomsbury Handbook of Indian Cuisine |last2=Bhattacharyya |first2=Sourish |last3=Saberi |first3=Helen |date=2023-02-23 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-350-12865-1 |pages=22 |language=en}}</ref> These leaves are used in south-central Indian cuisine to impart a tart flavour.<ref>{{cite book| title=660 Curries |page=6 |last=Iyer |first=Raghavan| date=2008|publisher=Workman Publishing Company |isbn=978-0-7611-8746-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PfTnCwAAQBAJ}}</ref> Gongura comes in two varieties, green stemmed leaf and red stemmed. The red stemmed variety is sourer than the green stemmed variety. Gongura is a rich source of iron, vitamins, folic acid and anti-oxidants essential for human nutrition.<ref>Indian Home Cooking, S. Saran and S. Lyness, 2004</ref>
== Description == ''Gongura'pacchadi'', a form of chutney or relish, is a quintessential part of Andhra cuisine. While it has many culinary uses, the most popular version is the pickled form. Although Gongura is widely consumed in homes all over Andhra Pradesh, Gongura is more popular in hotels, restaurants, eateries and food joints. It is also grown in Karnataka, Odisha,Telangana, Maharashtra, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh (north east region of India) and some parts of Chittagong Hill Tracts region in Bangladesh (which is mainly a tribal people region). It is a popular green vegetable in Chakma community and it is known as "Aamelli". Similarly, ''Gongura'' is popular in Tamil Nadu as well, and is called ''{{lang|ta-Latn|pulichakeerai}} ({{lang|ta|புளிச்சைக் கீரை}})'' in Tamil. In Odisha it's known as {{lang|or|ଗୋରକୁରା}} (''{{lang|or-Latn|gorkura}}'') or {{lang|or|ଖଟା ପାଳଙ୍ଗ}} (''{{lang|or-Latn|khata palangaw}}''). In Kerala it is called {{lang|ml|മത്തിപ്പുളി}} (''{{lang|ml|Mathippuli}}''), {{lang|ml|മീൻപുളി}} (''{{lang|ml|Meenpuli}}'') or {{lang|ml|പുളിവെണ്ട}} (''{{lang|ml|Pulivenda}}''). It is popular in North and Central Karnataka cuisines as "{{lang|kn-Latn|Pundi Palle/Punde soppu}} ({{lang|kn|ಪುಂಡಿ ಪಲ್ಲೆ/ಪುಂಡೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು}})", and is regularly eaten with Jollad (Jowar) rotti. The famous combination with ''{{lang|kn-Latn|pulichakeerai}}'' is ''{{lang|kn-Latn|Ragi Kali}}''/''{{lang|kn-Latn|Ragi Mudde}}'', which once used to be a regular food for the people in villages (since these items are easily available in agricultural forms). In Marathi, it is called ''{{lang|mr-Latn|Ambaadi}}'' ({{lang|mr|अंबाडी}}). And is specially prepared to a stew and served to goddess Mahalakshmi/Gauri during the annual festival of Mahalakshmi which falls on three days in between the ten days Ganesha Chaturthi festival in Maharashtra. It is known as '' {{lang|hi-Latn|Pitwaa}}'' in Hindi, ''Kotrum'' in Jharkhand, {{lang|bn-Latn|Mestapat}} in Bengali, ''Amaari'' in Chhattisgarhi, ''Pandi''/''Pundi SOPPU '' in Kannada, ''Anthur'' in Mizo, ''Sougri'' in Manipuri, ''{{lang|pa-Latn|Sankokda}}'' in Punjabi, ''Aamelli'' in Chakma, ''Mwitha'' in Bodo,'' Kenaf Leaves'' in English, and ''Chin Baung'' in Burmese. . It is a summer crop, and the hotter the place, the sourer the leaf gets.
[[File:Guntur Gongura.jpg|thumb|left|Sold on a street in Andhra Pradesh]] Gongura is popular in the state of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Tripura and also Mizoram. A baby gongura leaf is a full leaf. As the leaf grows older, the leaf splits into four or more parts. thumb|right|Drying gongura for pickle
Other well known recipes made with Gongura as the main ingredient are ''Gongura pappu'' (lentils), ''Gongura mamsam'' (goat/mutton) and ''Gongura royyalu'' (shrimp). In recent times, Gongura Chicken is also being served in restaurants. Gongura and calabash is extremely popular with the Telugu community in South Africa. It is also eaten by Acholi and Lango people in northern Uganda, where it is known as ''malakwang''.
In the Bodo Community of Assam too, 'Gongura' called as 'Mwitha' is taken very frequently, it is prepared as curry with pork, 'Mwitha-Oma', with pond fish as 'Mwitha-na' with prawns as 'Mwitha-nathur'. The leaves have a sour taste and slippery texture which is known to blend easily with non-veg items. The Bodo community believes that intake of sour helps in fighting the scorching summer heat and prevents illness.
'''Potential Health Benefits:'''
'''Antioxidant Properties:''' May help protect cells from damage.
'''Digestive Health:''' Tamarind, a common ingredient in pulicha keerai dishes, can aid digestion.
'''Immune Support:''' The nutrients in gongura can support a healthy immune system.
'''Traditional Uses:''' In traditional medicine, gongura has been used for various ailments, including gastrointestinal disorders and fever.
Some more popular curries and pickles made with gongura are as follows: * ''Pulla Gongura'' (Gongura + Red Chillies) * ''Pulihara'' Gongura (Gongura and Tamarind) * ''Gongura Pappu'' (Gongura + Lentils) * ''Gongura Pulusu'' (Gongura stew) * ''Gongura Chicken'' (Gongura + Chicken) * ''Gongura Royyalu'' (Gongura + Prawns) * ''Pulicha Keerai Thokku''
== See also == *Roselle (plant), for medicinal uses *Sorrel, sour leaf in European cuisine
== References == {{Reflist}} * Mahadevan N, Shivali, Pradeed kamboj, [http://nopr.niscpr.res.in/bitstream/123456789/3769/1/NPR%208%281%29%2077-83.pdf Hibiscus sabdariffa linn - An overview], Natural radiance, 2009;8(1):77-83. * Sekhar, DMR, Sun Roselle, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253240996_Sun_Roselle?ev=prf_pub * Phytojournal. (n.d.). https://www.phytojournal.com/archives/2018/vol7issue1S/PartAL/SP-7-1-711.pdf
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5581802}}
Category:Andhra cuisine Category:Leaf vegetables Category:Hibiscus