Thalai's Thatuvam

I was wondering the other day when i was having 'Veppilakatti' , whether we would be able to get it after 20 years. "Veppilakatti' is one of those items which are used as a substitute for pickles while having curd rice.I was amazed by the indifference shown by the newer generations to the making and eating of traditional food. It is most likely that items like Veppilakatti might become extinct in the near future.

It is not only specific to Veppilakatti but also to lots of dishes and few vegetable preparations including Vazhapoo poriyal( Banana flower) , Vazhatandu poriyal(Banana stem) and lots more. earlier Vazhapoo and Vazhatandu were regularly used in our day to day cooking and now it's one of the most rarest vegetable which we get to see.Vazhapoo is highly recommended when there is a stone( gallbladder stone or kidney stones ) in our body.people are seen hunting for it when they come to know of ailments inside their body.Sundakai(Turkey berry) is one such vegetable which has almost become extinct.Once famous sundakai vethal is seldom used these days.manathakali keerai(Black Nightshade) is another important green which has a rich medicinal value.Though greens have retained their popularity ( thanks to the dieting ladies ) , manathakali is seldom used in spite of the fact it is very rich in vitamin B.

These are few items/vegetables that came to my mind, there are lots more. It's not only animals which are becoming extinct these days but also after the advent of masala and chinese dishes , many old and medicinal indian dishes are losing their importance in our day to day life.

Next time I'll tell you how to make the above mentioned items. He He ;-)