My first memory of Thuthuvalai soup is waking up on cold winter mornings to its strong, peppery smell filling our home. In our village in Tamil Nadu, the thorny Thuthuvalai plant (Solanum trilobatum) grew by our backyard fence. My grandmother would pick the tender leaves early in the morning, saying it was our family’s natural medicine for coughs, colds, and fever.
My mother cooked the leaves with garlic, cumin, and pepper in a clay pot. The hot, fragrant soup warmed us during the rainy and winter months.
Even now, I make this soup whenever the weather changes, buying the leaves from local farmers. Every sip takes me back to my childhood, warm, healing, and full of love.
Thuthuvalai Soup
Thuthuvalai leaves – 1 cup (washed, thorn edges trimmed)
Garlic – 4 cloves
Shallots – 5 (optional)
Black peppercorns – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Coconut oil – 1 tsp
Water – 2 cups
Salt (to taste)
Wash the Thuthuvalai leaves well and trim off the thorny edges. Lightly crush garlic, peppercorns, and cumin seeds. Heat a little coconut oil in a pan and sauté the garlic, shallots, cumin, and pepper until they release a nice aroma. Add the Thuthuvalai leaves, stir for a few minutes, then pour in water and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes. Finally, add salt to taste, strain if you like, and serve hot as a warm, healing drink.
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Rajan R is an Assistant Professor from Tamil Nadu