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Vegetables · Leafy greens

Gongura (sorrel / roselle leaves)

Sour, tangy hibiscus leaves (roselle/kenaf) cooked into Andhra pickles, dals and the famous gongura pachadi.

Also called: gongura leaves, sorrel leaves, roselle leaves, ambadi, pitwa, pulicha keerai, kenaf leaves

Around the world: గోంగూర (te) · अंबाडी (mr) · புளிச்ச கீரை (ta)

1 recipe with it

What it is

The tart leaves of hibiscus plants (Hibiscus cannabinus and H. sabdariffa), sold in bunches with reddish or green stems and three- to five-lobed leaves. They are prized in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and known as ambadi in Maharashtra and pulicha keerai in Tamil Nadu. Though often called 'sorrel leaves', they are not the European sorrel (Rumex), though both are sharply sour.

Hibiscus cannabinus / Hibiscus sabdariffa

How it’s used

  • Ground with chillies and garlic into gongura pachadi
  • Cooked with mutton or chicken (gongura mamsam)
  • Added to toor dal for a sour dal
  • Made into long-keeping pickle with oil

Characteristics

Taste
Strongly sour and slightly astringent, with a green, grassy edge.
Texture
Tender leaves wilt and break down to a soft mass when cooked.
When cooked
Collapses dramatically in hot oil or water; a large bunch cooks down to a few spoonfuls.
Sold as
fresh
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked

Storage

Refrigerated. Wrap unwashed in a cloth or paper towel and refrigerate; use within a few days before the leaves yellow and wilt.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Like other sour greens, the leaves are high in oxalic acid; best eaten cooked and in normal portions.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
22 kcal
Protein
2 g
Carbohydrate
3.2 g
Fat
0.7 g
Fibre
2.9 g
Sugars
— g

USDA FoodData Central: Dock, raw (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Spinach — Use spinach plus tamarind or lemon juice to imitate the sourness; flavour is milder and less distinct.

Related ingredients

Recipes with gongura (sorrel / roselle leaves)

More leafy greens