Kohila Dalu (Lasia Shoots)

NOTABLE FACTS

The leaves grow in a rosette pattern from a base stem. Churang leaves are bright green in color and are covered in small spikes which are soft when young and sharper once leaves have matured. The plant blooms with long, twisted dark red to purple flowers. The sharpness of the “kohila” spines is the basis of a sinhala proverb: “Kimbulage dathen beerunath kohila katuven beerenna baehae”.

AYURVEDA & MEDICINAL USES

 Use for the treatments in Ayurvedic medicine for dysentery, dyspepsia and piles.

In India, it is used for colic and intestinal diseases and used to treat for intestinal worm infestation.

It is used to treat for asthma, bronchitis and coughs

TRY-ME RECIPES

Ingredients
Kohila 500g
Onion 1
Green chillies 1
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp
Goraka 1
Salt to taste
Coconut milk 300ml
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Chillie powder 1 tsp
Curry powder 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1tsp

Method
Wash the stems. Break off the leaves and tender parts of the stems. Peel off skins from thinker stems and break in to pieces.Wash and squeeze out the water. Slice onion and chop green chillies.Mix all ingredients together except mustard seeds.
Place in a cooking vessel with coconut milk and cook till boil and simmer till gravy is reduces and kohila is cooked.
While doing so, keep stiring the kohila curry with the handle of a spoon in rounds. The excess threads of kohila will spun around the handle of spoon. Remove these threads from the curry. When the curry is almost done, heat a separate pan or wok and add mustard seeds. When they sputter remove from heat and ground/ crush them with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the mustard over the kohila curry and simmer further for 5 minutes.