JOIN USThe Indian kitchen basket is familiar with dozens of greens, but their richer cousin, the drumstick leaves, rarely enter it! With the power to heal hundreds of diseases pertaining to nerves, heart, eyes and bones, the leaves are said to contain more than 80 nutrients and 35 antioxidants.
Rich sources of Vitamins A, C, protein, calcium, potassium, iron etc, any home maker with a patch of soil around the house can cultivate them for their leaves round the year. They could be procured from the market as well. Here are a few recipes that combine their goodness with taste.
Drumstick leaf vadas
Ingredients: 1 cup rice, 1 tbsp tur dal, 2 tsp grated coconut, 2-3 medium-sized red chillies, 1 medium onion (finely chopped), ¼ cup cleaned and chopped drumstick leaves, salt to taste, oil for frying.
Method: Soak the rice and dal for two hours and grind with the chillies and coconut to a thick batter. Add the chopped onions and leaves and mix well, adding salt. Heat the oil, make round balls with the batter, deep fry; drain when done. Serve with meals or tea.
Drumstick leaf dosas
Ingredients: 1 cup rice, ¼ cup grated coconut, 1-2 red chillies (medium-sized), ¼ cup cleaned chopped drumstick leaves, 1 small lump of tamarind, salt to taste.
Method: Grind all the ingredients except chopped leaves and salt to a paste of pouring consistency. Add the leaves and salt, mix well and make dosas, frying on both sides. Serve hot.
Drumstick leaf idlis
Ingredients: 2 cups rice, 2-3 red chillies, 1 small lump of tamarind, 1 cup coconut, ½ cup chopped drumstick leaves, mustard seeds, oil, curry leaves for seasoning, chopped coriander leaves, grated coconut for garnishing, salt for taste.
Method: Grind all the ingredients except chopped leaves to the idli batter consistency. Add chopped leaves and salt to the paste. Grease a shallow, flat-bottomed vessel with oil and pour the batter in it to fill it only upto 3/4th of the vessel. Steam it for 20 minutes in a steamer. When cool, cut it into squares. Prepare a seasoning with mustard seeds and curry leaves and sprinkle on the squares. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and grated coconut.
Drumstick leaves with vegetables
Ingredients: 5-6 florets of cauliflower, ½ cup chopped drumstick leaves, 2-3 potatoes, 2-3 green chillies, 1 tbsp grated coconut, 1 tsp sambar powder, salt for taste.
For seasoning: ¼ tsp jeera, ½ tsp mustard, 2 tsp oil.
Method: Split the florets into ½-inch long pieces after cleaning. Clean and chop the leaves. Cut the potatoes into ½ inch cubes. Heat oil, add mustard seeds; when they crackle, put in the sambar powder, sauté for a while, toss in the potatoes, leaves and cauliflower florets, sprinkle with water, cover and cook over a low flame till done. Add grated coconut, mix and serve with rice or chapatis. Chopped methi leaves could be added to all the above recipes to enhance flavour.