The drumstick plant is known as Moringa Oleifers, which is commonly known as Moringa. It is the most cultivated species in the genus Moringa. It is the most nutritious vegetable tree with many uses. The fruit of this tree, drumstick is very famous as a vegetable in Africa and Asia. The fruit is of a long shape that resembles a drumstick. This fruit itself is known as drumstick in India. Drumstick is a very famous vegetable in South India; it is used for preparing sambar and sometimes it is fried. It can also be preserved by canning and exported worldwide. Other parts of India like West Bengal enjoy drumstick very much.
Drumstick is used in a variety of curry dishes by mixing it with mustard, coconut and poppy seeds. They are also eaten by boiling it until they are semi soft and are consumed directly. Drumsticks are used for the preparation of dals, curries, sambars and kormas; sometimes it is used as a flavoring for cutlets. The tender leaves of drumstick are finely chopped, and are used as garnishing for vegetable dishes, salads and dals. People use drumstick leaves instead of coriander leaves, as they are high in medicinal value.
In Philippines, many people eat the leaves. The leaves are added to broth to cook a nutritious soup. Cooking drumstick is very easy. Here are some few easy steps on how to cook drumsticks.
Drumstick Dry Vegetable
Ingredients:
- 3 drumsticks
- 1tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafetida powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp methi seeds
- 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
- 1 cup grated coconut
- marble size tamrind
- 1tsp jaggery
- 1 and a half tsp chilli powder
Steps:
- Peel the drumsticks and cut them in approximately 3 inch pieces. Take some cooking oil and heat it in a vessel. Add some mustard seeds, when they start cracking add methi seeds, asafetida and drumsticks.
- Pour one cup of water in the vessel and cook it for 10 minutes or until the drumsticks are soft.
- Take coconut, chilli powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder and tamarind, and grind them together to form a rough paste.
- Add this paste to the prepared drumsticks and add some water, make sure that you do not add a lot of water. The paste will automatically stick to the drumsticks.
- Add some salt and jaggery to the drumsticks and let it cook for three minutes. Now it is ready to serve. You can have it with rice, chapatti or pita bread.
Drumsticks Curry
Ingredients:
- 4 drumsticks
- 100g onions, chopped
- 50g green peas
- 25g green chilies
- 1 small bunch of cilantro
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- salt
- 3 tsp sesame seeds (fine powder)
- 2 cups yoghurt
- 50 g oil
- 2-3 sprigs leaves
- a pinch of turmeric
Steps:
- Soak some green peas for a few hours in water. Cut the drumsticks into 2-inch pieces. Heat some oil in the pan and sauté the onions till they are golden brown.
- Put some ginger-garlic paste and fry the onions for a minute. Then add green peas, drumstick pieces, turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt. Cook it for 5 minutes and cover it with a lid.
- Take the green chilies and cilantro, and blend them together to form a fine paste. Add this paste to the curry and cook for sometime. Add some sesame seed powder and mix it properly.
- Afterwards, add yoghurt and cook for another 15 minutes or until the curry is prepared. Garnish it with cilantro leaves and serve hot.