Radish(Mooli) Leaves Pachadi (Salad)

White radish in itself is a very healthy vegetable and mind you, don't throw away the leaves that come with the roots. They make a very yumilicious salad/pachadi. It is very easy to make and goes well as a side dish. On a summer day, you can have it as a wholesome salad if you like the taste. In childhood, my mom had to make use of both parts of radish root, because my sister liked the white root grated raita while I enjoyed the leaves pachadi. Good memories are attached with this dish :) It's only in the recent years that I started seeing the leaves in the USA market and my joy had no bounds. I make it every now and then and everyone enjoys it at home. Nice peppery, lemony flavor is sure to make you fall in love with this dish.

So here is the recipe:

Mooli Pachadi

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of Mooli/Radish leaves, cleaned nicely and chopped finely [ makes 2 pressed full cups ] 
• 1 medium size onion finely chopped 
• 1 green chilli deseeded and finely chopped(no spicy then skip) 
• 1 tsp mustard seeds 
• 5-6 curry leaves 
• pinch of Asafoetida (hing) 
• salt as per taste 
• 1 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed 
• 1 red dry chilli 
• 1 tbsp any healthy oil

Preparation:

• Take the chopped leaves in a bowl. Do rinse off the water nicely so its not watery. * 
• Add lemon juice, salt, chopped onion and mix lightly. 
• Make a tadka, heat oil in a tadka bowl or small pan, add mustard seeds, once they splutter add red chilly, curry leaves, hing. 
• Stir quickly and pour over the pachadi. Mix everything nicely and its ready to be served. Nice peppery, lemony flavor is sure to make you fall in love with this dish. 

Notes:* to make it more yummy, you can add grated coconut on top as garnish.

You can also add roasted peanut coarsely crushed as garnish.

In India usually after one cleans the leaves, they apply salt and keep it for sometime, then rinse it off nicely.

Mooli Pachadi

Nutrition Facts:
High content of essential vitamins and minerals. Also rich in dietary fibre, hence helping in building immunity and fights fatigue. Radish leaves also demonstrate strong laxative properties that help ease constipation and a bloated stomach. Helpful in treating jaundice, pile, rheumatism and prevention of diabetes.