Drumstick Leaves in Daal Fry

Drumstick leaves or muringai ilai is a commonly available leafy green in South India. So imagine my surprise when I saw it in the local chinese market, I grabbed it up. In my home town we would find these trees in many people's backyards and whenever the tree was pruned the leaves and drumsticks would be distributed to the neighbours.

The leaves are a powerhouse of nutrients and have high vitamin C, phosphorous, calcium and iron content, more so than the commonly known oranges, bananas or milk. It also has high antibacterial properties and is used for cleansing the stomach when eaten at regular intervals. If regularly fed to expectant and new mothers, it increases resistance to infections and increases breast milk supply. So when something is this good how can I pass up on making a tasty dish out of it.

The toughest part in the whole process of cooking the leaves is separating the leaves from the twigs. Once that's out of the way it takes hardly 15 minutes to prepare this delicious dish.

Ingredients

Drumstick Leaves (Murungai ilai) - 2 cups (washed)
Toor daal/ Moong daal (cooked)- 1/2 cup
Asofeteida (hing) - a pinch
Turmeric - a pinch
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Red Chillis - 2 nos (or more depending on spice level)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad daal - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Method

1. Add oil to a pan and add mustard seeds, urad daal and red chillis.
2. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the drumstick leaves. Saute for a few minutes. Add salt and turmeric and mix.
3. Add water, cover and let the leaves cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cooked moong or toor daal, mix well and let it cook some more until all the water content evaporates.
5. Add the grated coconut and hing, mix well and saute it for a couple of minutes. Remove and serve with rice for a healthy nutritious meal.