Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Drumstick Leaves Curry

3 ½- 4 cups Drumstick leaves
2 tbspn oil (vegetable or coconut)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 broken red chilli
½ tsp red chilli powder
pinch turmeric
½ cup 1/8 inch cubed diced potato
to taste salt

Method:
1. Pluck leaves from stems of drumstick tree. Do not use discoloured leaves. Leaves should be dark or light green. Discard yellow and other colored leaves. Tender leaves can also be used. Small stems permitted if can’t get all leaves plucked off. It’s easiest to pluck the leaves taking the stem and pinching in the opposite direction of the growth. (This part takes the longest. For people like me not used to doing this, it took almost two hours!) (Plucked leaves pictured to the right.)
2. Soak the leaves in water a few minutes. Leaves have a waxy coating and will not fully soak or get wet. (Soaking pictured below to right.)
3. Heat oil. Add mustard seeds.
4. When mustard seeds pop, add the chilli, turmeric, red chilli powder. Stir.
5. Immediately add the leaves. Leaves do not need to be drained. Just take out by the handfuls and add to the pan. Some water added to the pan is ok.
6. Immediately add the potatoes.
7. Stir. (When stirring do not keep all curry in the middle of the pan, spread it out to let air in it.). 8. Put the top on it and stir it every three minutes until water is all evaporated.
Once cover is taken off, keep cooking and stirring until the potatoes are soft.
9. Add salt to taste.


Guess I forgot to take photo of the final product!! Maybe next time...


Note: This can be considered a bitter dish, ayurvedically speaking. As told by the ayurvedic doctor, bitter dishes can help improve circulation and make you feel invigorated.

**Variation, I have yet to make. Instead of drumstick leaves, use fenugreek (methi) leaves in the same proportion. Spices to fry in oil are slightly different- mustard seeds first, then add red chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric and salt to taste. It’s ok to add potatoes. When done add lemon juice and butter as condiments.

In other Indian Languages Drumstick is known as:
Drumstick Leaves (English)
TAMIL - Murunga elai
TELUGU - Munnakaya koora
KANNADA - Nuggekayi
MALAYALAM - Muringakaya ela
HINDI - Muranka bhaji
Taken from: http://ramya65.blogspot.com/2008/06/glossary.html