Today’s recipe is a healthy and nutritious curry made with moringa leaves. This is also called as moringa dal or drumstick leaves dal. Yes! Moringa is nothing but drumstick leaves. They are also called as maskachi bhaji in Konkani. We can make this drumstick leaves curry with toor dal or moong dal toor. The recipe of cooking drumstick leaves dal is easy. Just add chopped moringa leaves, onion, tomato and toor dal i.e. split pigeon peas to the pressure cooker and pressure cook it for 5 to 6 whistles. After the dal and drumstick leaves are cooked, you need to add seasoning of curry leaves and mustard seeds as mentioned in the recipe.
Moringa leaves are considered as health food. People consume these in various forms like tablets or powder. We Indians and Goans have been cooking with drumstick leaves since ages. In Goa itself we make different recipes with moringa leaves like maskachi bhaji. We can make yummy dishes with drumsticks like sangachi bhaji and sangacho ross. Even with drumstick flowers we make delicious recipes like cutlets.
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Wondering what are the health benefits of moringa?
Moringa is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It fights inflammation and helps reduce diabetes symptoms. It also protects heart and brain health. As per WebMD, moringa is used to treat anemia, arthritis, joint pains, cancer, constipation, stomach pain, intestinal ulcers, high blood pressure, kidney stones, thyroid disorders, etc. It is also known to increase production of breast milk for nursing mothers. There are many more health benefits of moringa leaves. Do consult your doctor if you suffer from any health problems before considering a diet full of moringa leaves.
There is a story that I want to share. Once my hubby was returning from a business trip from USA. There was a lady sitting beside him who was actually selling a product made from moringa oleifera. It was a powder made with moringa leaves. She spent some time explaining to him about the product and how to consume it. People in the western countries consume moringa powder by mixing it in milk or water. That was the time when we understood the importance of moringa leaves.
Now whenever my hubby sees moringa leaves in Bangalore, he gets a bunch or two at home. In Goa, we can find moringa trees in backyards itself. People freely distribute them to friends and family there. But in Bangalore it is difficult to get. Sometimes we get it near Tin factory on Old Madras Road.
Lentil curry made with moringa is called as moringa dal. Moringa dal is dal made with toor dal and drumstick leaves which is also known as maskachi bhaji in Konkani.
There is another small story that I would love to share. Once we were going on a long drive. Somewhere on the Mysore Bangalore highway we spotted a truck full of drumstick leaves. Some people had cut some branches of a drumstick tree and were going to dispose them. My hubby stopped the car and asked them if we could take some twigs at home. They asked us to take lot of drumstick leaves. But we were happy with few twigs.
Cooking with moringa is easy. Only tedious task is separating the leaves from the sprigs. Nowadays my little one helps me in separating the moringa leaves from the sprigs.
Moringa Dal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup toor dal (split pigeon pea lentils)
- 2 cups moringa leaves or drumstick leaves or maskachi bhaji separated from stem and chopped
- 1/2 medium sized onion finely chopped
- 1 medium sized Tomato finely chopped
For seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera seeds
- 1 spring curry leaves
- 2 dry red chillies
- A pinch asafoetida
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 4 pods garlic peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 inch ginger peeled and finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon oil/ghee
- Few Coriander Leaves for garnish
- To taste Salt
Instructions
- Wash the toor dal or lentils and keep aside for 30 minutes.
- Take the pressure cooker pan and heat it. Add chopped onion, chopped tomato, chopped moringa leaves and toor dal along with 2 cups water and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles or till dal is cooked. Switch off the gas and wait till pressure from cooker is released on its own.
- Heat a kadai and add oil or ghee. After it gets heated add mustard seeds.
- After mustard seeds flutter, add cumin seeds, asafeotida, dry red chilies and curry leaves and fry for few 2 minutes.
- Add chopped garlic and chopped ginger and sauté till raw smell of garlic goes away.
- Add turmeric powder and red chili powder and mix well.
- Add boiled dal and moringa leaves from the pressure cooker and mix.
- Add salt to taste. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot.
That looks yum! thanks for sharing, will try it out soon
Thanks