Thumba -Leuca Indica

Thumba is a small herb native to southern part of India,mainly Kerala & Karnataka. The whole plant is used for different medicine in Ayurveda.. Thumba is a flower of Kerala ,it signifies purity & simplicity.The flowers has religious importance too.It is believed that Lord Krishna loved this flower.During Onam Thumba flowers are used for floral rangoli(athapo).It is also used as an offering to dead people during special rite called  bali(karkkidaka vavu bali).     

 Remedies:                                 

1. Throat pain or tonsillitis:  Grind some Thumba leaves, few black pepper &  garlic 
2. Fever: 20 gms juice of Thumba leaves&10 gms black pepper powder, take it for 3-4 days             
3. For Jaundices,small foreign bodies in eyes use 2-3 drops of thumba leaves juices
4. Diabetic: Take daily 10 gms thumba juice with 2 black pepper.
5. Throat infection for small children: 1spoon thumba juice with honey

This plant is used for snake poison  also.

This plant which is use full to one and all has some very interesting recipes too which I would like to share with all of you..

•                                  Thumbe  Sukke

                        This recipe is used by our community in Kochi 

Ingredients:  2 cups of chopped thumba leaves

                   2 tbsp coconut gratings

                    2 -3 tsp chilly powder

                      1 tsp turmeric powder

                     2 tsp oil, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp urad dhal   salt to taste

Method:  Wash & chopped the leaves. Heat oil in a kadai add mustard,urad.when it splutters add other  ingredients within 2-3 minutes healthy sukke is ready to eat. Thumba is slightly bitter in taste (like methi leaves)