The above is the harvest of Manathakkali aka Sun Berry or black night Shade.
This is a wonder berry. It does not need any special care and usually grows on its own after birds eat the fruits and drop some on the ground.
The unripe ones are green and the ripe ones are black in color and can be eaten as such.
The ripe fruit does not have any special taste.
The plant has many beneficial properties. The leaves can be used in curries or stir fried. It is used to treat ulcers, stomach related problems and is an anti oxidant and can be eatn by even diabetics, small babies and pregnant and lactating mothers.
The berries are plucked and immersed in buttermilk or diluted curd along with salt.
After two days, the berries are sun dried on a clean sheet. Thus, the berries are left to dry in the sun for three or four days until it is dried outcompletely.
After that, the berries are stored in an air-tight jar.
It is fried in ghee(clarified butter) or oil and can be had with hot rice.
A curry can be made using these dried berries.
Heat a wok. Heat oil. Put some dried red chilly, mustard seeds and let is splutter. Add the dried berries and store fry. Then add water and tamarind paste and let it boil. Add turmeric, salt and sambar masala. You can add cooked tuvar dal if desired. After it is cooked well, take off from the stove and serve with hot rice.
Sunberry or manathakkali is very good for the stomach but do be careful not to eat too many fresh berries because it is a laxative as well. These are very small in size.
These plants grow abundantly in Asia and Africa.
First image - own