হেলেঞ্চা শাক /Helancha (Enhydra fluctuans)

Enhydra fluctuans Lour, a tropical herb, commonly known as helencha or

harkuch,belonging to family Asteraceae, is gaining lot of importance for its therapeutic potentials. This is an edible semi-aquatic herbaceous vegetable plant w Grows in swampy ground in Tropical climate.Native to India, Bangladesh,Burma, Sreelankha and several places in south east Asia.Hingcha or Kankong-kalabau is found in Rizal Province in Luzon, being occasional along the banks of small streams in and about Manila. It was certainly introduced, being found also in tropical Africa and Asia to Malaya.In Bengal it is commonly known as Hingha and grows plenty in ponds & lakes.ith serrate leaves, grows commonly all over the country.

The leaves of E. fluctuans are somewhat bitter and are eaten as a salad or vegetable in several tropical countries. fluctuans has been reported a favourite food of the hippopotamus.

This plant is a prostate, spreading, annual herb. The stems are somewhat fleshy, 30 centimeters or more in length, branched, rooting at the lower nodes, and somewhat hairy. The leaves are stalkless, linear-oblong, 3 to 5 centimeters in length, pointed or blunt at the tip, usually truncate at the base, and somewhat toothed at the margins. The flowering heads are without stalks, are borne singly in the axils of the leaves, and excluding the bracts, are less than 1 centimeter in diameter. The outer pair of the involucral bracts is ovate and 1 to 1.2 centimeters long; the inner pair is somewhat smaller. The flowers are white or greenish-white. The acheness are enclosed by rigid receptacle-scales. The pappus is absent.Flower colour: beige, white.

Edible uses:

According to Burkill the young parts are used as a salad in several countries, including Malaya. Sometimes they are steamed before they are eaten.

Guerrero reports that in the Philippines the leaves are pressed and applied to the skin as a cure for certain herpetic eruptions.In bengal it is washed,chopped and cooked as Sag fry or boiled with rice and eaten with boiled rice with boiled potato ,salt and mastered oil.

The young parts and the leaves of the plant are somewhat bitter and are used by the Malays as a laxative. Caius says that the leaves are useful in diseases of the skin and of the nervous system. The fresh

juice of the leaves is prescribed in Calcutta as an adjunct to tonic metallic medicines, and is given in neuralgia and other nervous diseases. The leaves are antibilious. The expressed juice of the leaves is used as a demulcent in cases of gonorrhea; it is taken mixed with the milk of either a cow or a goat. As a cooling agent, the leaves are pounded and made into a paste which is applied cold to the head.

Watt quotes Forsyth, who states that the plant is useful in torpidity of the liver. An infusion should be made the previous evening. It is boiled with rice and taken with mustard oil and salt.

Constituents: A concentration of 0.21 % dry weight of essential oil is present .

Medicinal uses: laxatives, etc.; paralysis, epilepsy, convulsions, spasm; skin,

mucosae.They are said to be a laxative, antibilious and demulcent . They are used in India in skin and nervous affections , and in the Philippines are applied to certain herpetic eruptions .

Antioxidant Potential of Crude Extract and Different Fractions of Enhydra fluctuans Lour (Hingcha).

Analgesic activity of Enhydra fluctuans.

Chemical constituents:

Plant is rich in protein and is a good source of β-carotene.  It also contains saponins, myricyl alcohol, kaurol, cholesterol, sitosterol, glucoside, sesquiterpene lactones including germacranolide, enhydrin, fluctuanin and fluctuandin, a number of diterpenoid acids and their isovalerate and angelate derivatives, stigmasterol, cholesterol, sitosterol, glucoside, other steroids and gibberellins A9 and A13. have been isolated from this plant.

Helancha Shak Shukto

Ingredients

1.Hinche shak – 200 grams.

2.Eggplant (begun) – 200 grams.

3.Ridge gourd – 200 grams (peeled)

4.Pointed gourd (parwal) – 100 grams (peeled)

5.Yard long bean (barboti) – 100 grams.

6.Raw banana – 2 (peeled)

7.Raw papaya – 1/4 portion (peeled)

8.Mustard seeds – 1 tsp.

9.Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 tsp.

10.Bay leaves – 2

11.Ginger paste – 1 tsp.

12.Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp.

13.Salt to taste.

14.Sugar – 1/4 tsp.

15.Oil – 2 tbsp.

16.Ghee – 1 tsp.

17.Wheat flour – 1 tbsp.

18.Milk or water  – 1/4 cup.

Method

1.Take the tender stems and fresh leaves of the Hinche shak, chop roughly and wash well. Cut all the vegetables into small pieces, wash and soak in water for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes transfer them to a colander.

2.Heat oil in a frying pan, when hot reduce the heat. Add mustard seeds, when crackling add bay leaves and fenugreek seeds, stir fry for 40 seconds. Add all the vegetables, Hinche shak, salt, turmeric powder and ginger paste. Mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat (stir in between). Add 11/2 cups of water and sugar, let it bring to boil. Cook till vegetables become tender. If needed add little water and cook for another few minutes. In a small bowl add  wheat flour and milk or water, mix well. Add the flour mixture to the pan, stir well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from the heat, add ghee, cover the pan and give 7 to 8 minutes standing time.

Helancha Shak Bhaja

The leaves of Helancha are extremely nutritious. The dish is very tasty, quick and easy to prepare and requires a few ingredients.

Ingredients:

1. Helancha – 1 bunch.

2.Garlic cloves – 4 (finely chopped)

3.Salt – 1/4 tsp.

4.Sugar – 1/4 tsp.

5.Oil – 2 tbsp.

6.Green chili – 1 (chopped)

7.Whole dry red Chili – 2.

Instructions:

1. Take the young and tender stem and fresh leaves of the Helancha. Wash well with enough water. Keep them in a colander for 10 minutes. Chop the stem and leaves.

2. Heat oil in a frying pan, when hot reduce the heat. Fry the dry red Chili until brown, remove from oil and keep aside for garnishing. In the remaining oil add chopped garlic,Stir fry for few seconds.

3. Add chopped Helancha, sugar and salt.

4. Cover the pan and cook on slow flame for 5-6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water and green Chili. stir well. Keep cooking till all the water evaporates.

5. Remove pan from heat, garnish with fried Chili and serve as a first item for lunch.

Bengali Sukto Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup Raw Banana cut in cubical Pieces

1& 1/2 cup Raw papaya cut in small cubical Pieces

1 cup helencha shak cut in long pieces

1/4th tsp White mustard seeds

1/4th tsp Turmeric Powder

1/4th tsp Dhania Powder

Little Mustard Oil

Salt to taste

Method

Take the cut banana pieces in a bowl & mix with little salt.

Now wash them properly, in this way the black color goes off the raw banana.

wash the other vegetables too.

In a pan pour some mustard oil.

As the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds.

Cover the pan as the mustard seeds will sputter.

Now add papaya & banana pieces with some salt.

After 5-7 minute add the helencha shak.

Fry them in low flame so that they gets soften.

Now add turmeric powder & dhania powder.

Mix them properly & pour some water.

Cook covered for 5 minutes & serve hot with rice.

A simple yet delicious recipe is ready to eat…