Description

Ambadi (Gongura) leaves are medium to large in size and are broad, flat, and pliable. The vibrant green leaves are deeply lobed with three to five serrated, finger-shaped leaflets. Gongura leaves come from a dense shrub-like plant that typically reaches heights of two to three meters. It has reddish-purple stems with dark green foliage and trumpet-shaped flowers. The flowers have five creamy yellow petals that fade to a deep maroon in the center. Smaller Gongura leaves offer a mild green and tangy flavor, whereas more mature specimens are robust and acrid. Warm temperatures also affect the taste of the leaf because the hotter it gets, the sourer the leaf will taste.Gongura leaves may be pickled, steamed, blanched, or ground into a paste and combined with garlic, chilies, and salt to make chutney. The sour leaves heighten the rich flavor of legumes and fatty meats, therefore making them a perfect complement to dishes with lentils, goat, or mutton. Gongura leaves can be cooked with shrimp, mussels, and fish and are also used raw in salads.