With a drumstick / Moringa tree in the backyard, I often make one dish or the other with the leaves. It is hubby’s favorite greens and so I try to include it in many dishes as well as make it the hero of the dish when ever possible.


We are in the Week 3 of the Mega Blogging Marathon #68 themed Cooking Carnival ,where I am doing dishes with one ingredient a week. And as you have correctly figured out, this healthy green is my choice of ingredient for this week,

Though I have been using these leaves regularly, I have never blogged any other than a soup.Hence it became the ingredient of the week. I have complied a list of recipes with drumstick leaves and hope to add more to that collection.

This simple dry curry / stir fry is very easy to prepare and not to mention very healthy as well. .It can be served as a part of lunch or you can have it as a mid morning snack just like we did!

I used:

Moringa leaves/ Murungai keerai– 2 packed cups
Moong dal- 1/8 cup
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
White split urad dal-1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
Red chili- 1 , broken
Salt to taste
Grated Coconut – 2 tablespoons
Oil- 1 teaspoon

Separate the leaves from the stalks. Put them in a colander and rinse well.Drain.

Soak the moong dal in warm water for 15 minutes.Meanwhile,heat a pan with water .Drain the water used to soak the dal  and add the moong dal to the pan.Let it cook it you can mash a few dal between your fingers. It should not get mushy. Drain and reserve the water used to cook the dal.Keep the cooked dal aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin, urad dal and red chilies. As soon as the mustard pops and the dal turns brown, add the greens and give it a mix. Now add a little of the water used to cook the dal that we have reserved.Add salt and mix.

Cook for a few minutes till the leaves are soft.Add the reserved dal water / water to cook it. Stir once or twice in between. Cover and cook if it takes a long time.
Add the cooked dal and grated coconut. Mix well. If there is some moisture / wter left over in the pan, cook till it dries up.

Simple drumstick leaves stir fry is ready to be served.

Note:

  • Choose tender leaves as the mature ones don’t cook easily and also not easy to digest.
  •  To retain the nutrients, it is best to cover and cook .

Bon Appetit…

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 68

14 thoughts on “Murungakeerai Porriyal | Drumstick Leaves Stir-Fry”

  1. I've recently started seeing these drumstick leaves at local Indian grocery, they are ridiculously expensive, but I think I'll buy them once to try your recipes.
    That is a simple and delicious stir fry.

  2. Love this poriyal pj!! amma makes it often when i m there in chennai. i do miss them here, though we get it here sometimes, the taste of the leaves doesn't match that of our town!!!

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