Totakoora

Amaranthus-Totakoora (Thotakura)

Green variety of Amaranthus popular in Andhra Pradesh. It is often cooked with dals. Totakoora (or totakura) provides excellent roughage in your diet and is rich in calcium, iron and vitamin A and C. This is a tasty green consumed extensively in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Recipes made of this green are very tasty as well as healthy. It cools and energizes the body. The more mature greens of this family is the ‘thandu keerai’. A very good blood cleanser, this green is also strengthens the heart. It loosens stools and helps treat painful and difficult urination due to increase in body ‘heat’.

However, some health enthusiasts say that

• You should not heat amaranth leaves. (They say they release toxins when reheated.)
• Avoid eating them if you are prone to kidney stones
• And ignore them if you are allergic

Different Names:

• English — Amaranth greens
• Chinese –Hinn Choy, Yin tsoi
• Tamil – Mulai Keerai, Mula Keerai, முளைக் கீரை
• Telugu —Thotakura
• kannada – Dhantinasoppu
• Malayalam — Cheera
• Hindi – Chauli

Health Benefits:

• Amaranth leaves are rich in Potassium, Vitamin C, protein, folic acid and other vital nutrients. So you can’t say you can’t toss off starch rich potatoes for the sake of potassium.
• Juice derived from amaranth leaves are a good remedy for bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses.
• Amaranth juice will give you a lot of essential amino acids and proteins. Children can be given the fresh juice with honey.
• Include all green leafy veggies for cancer prevention and cholesterol management. Amaranth leaves and grains (rajgeera) have a magic on high lipids.
• Amaranth would give you a lot of dietary fibre and roughage.
• Amaranth leaf juice is a great mouthwash.
• Squeeze some fresh juice and apply for hair loss and premature greying.
• Apply the remaining juice on skin for acne and eczema.

Links (Sources):

• Totakoora Fry
  
• Live Strong
• Wikipedia
• All Greens