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Ga ga over gongura

There's more to `gongura' than most natives of Andhra know

Gongura pachchadi, gongura pappu and gongura mutton are more than quintessentially Andhra food items: they are Andhra obsessions. Other cultures in India and abroad too pickle and curry the kenaf leaf, but none match the fetish that Andhra-ites have for this sour-leafed herb. Every year, thousands of Andhra mothers lovingly ship off gongura pickles to their sons and daughters living abroad.

And no Andhra-ite will agree with a restaurant's claim of serving Andhra cuisine unless he finds gongura pachchadi in the pickle jar and gongura pappu on the menu.

Kenaf is native to northern Africa, and its history in India goes back 2,000 years.

The leaves are a pot-herb. They resemble marijuana leaves but have no hallucinogenic properties whatsoever. The fibres resemble jute and are useful in the manufacture of ropes, cordage, canvas, carpet backing and fishing nets.

Kenaf seeds are used to make edible oil, soap, linoleum, paints and varnish. Some African tribes use the stem as a base for drilling fire out of wood. They also use soot from the charred stem as a pigment. The seeds are an aphrodisiac in Africa.

Low in calories

Kenaf leaves are low in calories, and rich in protein when compared to other leafy vegetables. They are rich in calcium and phosphorus and have appreciable amounts of Vitamin C. The seeds are rich in essential fatty acids and calories.

The seeds also contain radium and thorium, but not in amounts large enough to cause cancer. The roots of kenaf are edible too, but they contain a lot of fibre and little nutrition.

Medicinal uses

In traditional African medicine, kenaf flower juice, mixed with sugar and black pepper, is used to treat biliousness with acidity. Because of the high calorie content, kenaf seeds are used to promote weight increase in cultures where plumpness is valued.

In Ayurveda, the leaves are used to treat dysentery, sore throat and indigestion. In Africa, the leaves are used as a purgative. Dried and powdered leaves are used to treat guinea worm infestations.

RAJIV. M

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