JOIN US'Huruli Mela' draws huge crowd
Speaking at ‘Huruli Mela’ organised by Nisarga, a centre selling organic produce in Mysore on Sunday, he emphasised on the importance of consuming horsegram as part of the daily diet.
There is a wrong notion that horsegram is a poor man’s diet, difficult to digest and is usually fed to animals like horses and cattle. But, not many know that there are two types of horsegram - red and black. Red is usually fed to animals and black is for human consumption.
But when taken the nutrient value of the horsegram, it is very rich in calcium, iron and has a negligible amount of fat.
Explaining further, Srivatsa said that Indian women have been giving more importance to the preparation of food right from planning, purchasing and preparation. Women, decades earlier had given more importance in balancing the nutrition, though they had not known much about calories or size zero; and horsegram was used in cooking regularly.
‘Huruli’ can be consumed raw, soaked, boiled, sprouted and in other forms. Horsegram with a combination of greens, radish and some vegetables that add to its taste.
He also explained the medicinal qualities and benefits of horsegram in controlling several ailments like blood pressure, diabetes, constipation, peptic ulcer, asthma and other ailments that require consistent medication. Horsegram is one pulse that has the magical property of making the obese thin and vice versa.
Winter and monsoon is the right season to consume horsegram, as it has the tendency to keep your body warm, naturally.
Julie Cariyappa, who is into organic farming at H D Kote, also spoke on the occasion said horsegram is not only important for maintaining healthy body, but also plays a major role in acting as a secondary cover for many crops. It also plays a major role in retaining nitrogen and holding the micronutrients in the soil intact. It may be called as the best preserving crop for its natural ability to maintain the nutrient value of the soil, she said.
It is also the best fodder crop as the dried hay of the horsegram is also loaded with nutrients.
Julie explained how it plays a major role in complementing the food and regular consumption may keep the now health conscious youth to stay away from food supplements.
She spoke on the ill effects of the junk food and suggested the shoppers to give more time to read the lables of the so-called packed food to check the ingredients and nutrient value of the food before purchasing it, though some may think it is crazy, as it is being approved by the authorities concerned.
Keep food as simple as possible was her suggestion to the gathering. Farmer leader Kadidal Shamanna also participated in the programme. More than 500 people had gathered at the premises to know the importance of the simple Huruli.
People who were aware of few dishes like mashed curry, sprouts and stock of horsegram, were stumped to find immense possibilities in form of delicacies like dry jamun, tambittu, molekekalu sundal, chutney pudi, holige, palya and others on the occasion.