Nature Line
Manathakkali
Medicinal Food Plant Manathakkali is a green leafy vegetable commonly available in South Indian homes. It is a wonder plant thanks to its tiny juicy berry. The name itself is attributed to the berries in the form of beads. Its botanical name is Solanum nigrum. It is called Manathakkali keerai in Tamil, Kamanchi Chettu in Telugu, Makoy in Hindi, Kakkesappu in Kannada, and Black Nightshade in English. Black Nightshade is a fairly common herb or short-lived perennial shrub, found in the habitats as well as the wild. It grows to a height of 30 to 120 cm with leaves 4 to 7.5 cm long and 2 to 5 cm wide, ovate to heart-shaped, with wavy or large-toothed edges. The flowers have petals greenish to whitish, recurved when aged and surround prominent bright yellow anthers. The berry is mostly 6 to 8 mm in diameter, dull black, purple-black or red when ripe. Culinary Use Manathakkali has been widely used as a food since early times, and the fruit was recorded as a famine food in 15th Century China. Despite slight toxicity issues with some varieties, the ripe berries and boiled leaves of edible strains are eaten. The ripe berries are described as sweet and salty, with taste of liquorice and melon. In Australia, it is known as bush tomatoes.