During the last summer vacation, I had been to India and my mother-in-law, a great cook as she is, graciously showed me a few of her 'trade marked' recipes. She had in turn learnt them from her aunts in her childhood. Munagaaku koora is one of her treasured ones. These time tested recipes are what we look forward to always, don't we?

My MIL says that drumstick leaves need to be eaten atleast once a year during the month of Aashadam (typically july-august). Reasoning -  maybe because the tender leaves are available at that time of the year or because it is the monsoon season in India and these leaves build up immunity against bacteria. 

It is widely known that drumstick leaves are highly nutritious, being a significant source of beta-carotene, Vitamin C, protein,iron, and potassium. For more info read here.

The fresh tender leaves can be sun dried and used through out the year. I was lucky enough to get some dried leaves. Coming to the recipe, here is how my MIL prepares..




Ingredients - 


Munagaaku (drumstick leaves) chopped finely 4 cups
Mung dal (Pesara Pappu) or Toor dal (Kandi Pappu)  1/2 cup
Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp
Coconut powder 3 Tbsp
Peanut Powder 3 Tbsp
Sugar/Grated Jaggery 1 tsp (or as per taste)
Salt as per taste
Seasoning (Oil 2 tsp, Chana dal 2 tsp, Urad dal 2 tsp, Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp, Jeera 1 tsp, 1 Dry Red Chilli and a pinch of Hing)


Method Of Preparation - 


In a covered sauce pan, boil the finely chopped drumstick leaves and Mung dal or Toor dal with sufficient water.


After the dal is just about cooked and the leaves look cooked too, drain the water and keep the water aside . This water is very nutritious and so please don't throw away the water. Instead make soup out of it or just add little salt and pepper and offer it to kids or drink it yourself! Or this water can be added to rasam or sambar or dal.


Upon cooling, squeeze out the excess water in the dal + drumstick leaves.


In a separate sauce pan, add oil and the rest of seasoning and when it is done, add the squeezed out drumstick leaves + dal mixture. Fry it a little and add the rest of the powders (Coconut, peanut, chilli). 


Add salt to taste and also the grated jaggery or sugar. Mix well and when the curry is dry enough, switch off the flame and the curry is ready to be served!


Serves 4 adults
Preparation Time 40 min 

2 comments

  1. Drumstick leaves is something I miss here so much. This curry looks so hearty and inviting.

     
  2. Rosh Says:
  3. I guess it is the other way around, mostly everyone here says it is not safe to eat drumstick leaves during the rainy season, so request you to check again. Pls check this link found during a random search also : http://www.herpes-coldsores.com/messageforum/showthread.php?35802-A-platter-specially-for-Karkitakam , pls check with others and respond.
    ,Thanks,

     
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