Drum-Stick leaves curry

Drum-Stick leaves (മുരിങ്ങയില തോരൻ)

If you are looking for a tasty and healthy dry side dish, rich in fiber to go ahead with a plate rice, here is one. Drum stick trees are found almost every place in India. Many a traditional dishes are prepared with the drum sticks. However, the leaves and the flowers are not so well known in the diet. But in Kerala, the leaves of drum stick tree are cooked and used like spinach.

It is also worthy noting that dried and crushed leaves are used in soups and sauces.  The leaves are used for making various types of curries in combination with other vegetables. The flowers are edible when cooked and taste almost like mushrooms. ( I will try to provide the drum stick flowers recipe in some other posting, which is another great delicacy).

From a nutrition perspective, drum stick leaves is a rich source of Calcium, Potassium, Proteins, beta carotene (vitamin-A) and Vitamin-C. For example, the Vitamin-C level in drum stick leaves are comparable to that of orange fruit (which is usually mentioned as the primary source of vitamin-C), the protein content is comparable to yogurt, potassium content is comparable to Banana and calcium content is about 60 percentage of milk. No wonder drumstick leaves has been a recommend by grandmas for pregnant and breast-feeding women.

In Ayurveda, the leaves, barks and sticks of the drum stick tree are used for many medicinal preparations. Some tips from the common wisdom: Muringa leaves and flowers are used as a remedy for stomach complaints, hay fever,  hemorrhoids, headaches and sore gums. The muringa leaves are helpful in increasing the lactation in the breastfeeding months. It is used to strengthen the eyes, brain, liver, digestive, respiratory and immune system. It is also used as a blood purifier and blood builder, and for cancer treatment. Muringa leaves are also used to stabilize the blood pressure. Flowers soaked in honey are used as a cough remedy. Taking bath in water boiled with the barks of Muringa tree is recommended for arthritis patients.

Now let's get back to this weeks recipe.

Ingredients:

1) Muringayila      1 cup.

2) Coconut            1/2cup, grated
   Onion small       6   no   
   Green chilly       5
   Turmeric Powder 1tsp

3) Mustard         1tsp
4) Curry leaves  1 spring
5) Salt                 as needed
6) coconut oil     2 tbsp


Method of Preparation:

1. Clean the leaves, if the there is dust or dirt, then dip the leaves in water, take out and shake of the water. Remove the sticks from the leaves and cut it with a chopping knife taking a handful of leaves every time.
2. Put the items under (2) in to one mixy jar, pour little water and grind slightly, or smash. (No need to make it into a fine paste).
3. Heat oil in a pan and sprinkle in mustard seeds.When they start sputtering add curry leaves,In to this add the above coconut mixture and salt and keep it in the flame for sometime .In to this mixture add muringaila, stir well, keep it in low flame till it is cooked well.
4. (Optionally) add one egg in this mixture (center of the mixture) and stir well.At last mix it all  well .

Note: Adding the egg is optional. You can prepare it without egg, in that case if  you can use ghee instead of coconut oil for a better taste.

 

Bitter Gourd with Long Beans

Bitter Gourd with Long Beans (പാവയ്ക്കയും പയറും)

Bitter gourd (പാവയ്ക്ക) is well known for it's health benefit. Doctors today recommend bitter gourd for it's iron content and many vitamins contained in it. It is also scientifically proven that bitter gourd can reduce the glucose levels in the blood and beneficial to the people with diabetes. Many people are averse to the dishes made out of bitter gourd because of the bitter taste. However there were many techniques used by the older generations to mask the bitterness and prepare tasty combinations with bitter gourd. Some of those combinations worth mentioning are bitter gourd with dried shark fish, bitter gourd with jack fruit seeds, bitter gourd with long beans.

In this recipe I will cover the traditional dish of bitter gourd with the long beans prepared in Kerala.

Ingredients:
(This will serve approximately 5 to 6 people):

1) Bittergourd (paavaykka)    250gm

2) Long beans (payar)            200gm

3) Onion big             1, chopped well
   Green chilly           6, chopped well
   Fresh coconut        1/2 medium-sized,grated
   Salt                         As needed
   Ginger                    Small piece, chopped well

4) Coconut oil           1 tbsp

5) Mustard seeds       1 tsp

6) Curry leaves          1 sprig

Method of preparation:

1) Chop the Bitter gourd in to small pieces (kothi ariyuka).
2) Chop the Longbeans also small pieces.
3) Mix the above two together with hands and in this add ingredients under 3. Mix well.
4) Heat oil in a pan and sprinkle in mustard seeds. When they start sputtering add curry leaves stirr well. Add  the above mixture in to it, stirr well ater after that cover the pan with a lid. Keep the flame high when it half cooked after that keep the flame low till it cooked well.

Mambazha Pulisheri (Sweet and sour mango curry)

Mambazha Pulisheri (മാമ്പഴ പുളിശ്ശേരി)

Mambazha pulishery is a sweet and sour vegetarian delicacy from Kerala made out of sweet mango fruits. Yes, you herd it right... Sweet mangoes !! And yes, we prepare a curry with the king of fruits !!!

I prepare this dish specially for my husband, this being one of his favorite dishes. I had heard of this dish, but never tried making it until my husband asked me to try it one day. And I had to consulted my mom for the recipe. Once I made the dish, I had to agree that my husband was right. The taste is beyond what I can describe in words.

The mangoes traditionally used for making Mambazha pulishery is the smallest type of mangoes, which is known as nadan manga (country mangoes). Please refer to the picture below to get an idea of the type of mangoes. I have also heard from my friends that, in some parts of Kerala, these mangoes are called kattu manga (meaning mangoes from the wild). I was pleasantly surprised to see that this variety of mangoes were available in plenty throughout the 'Mango Mela' in Bangalore this year.

The picture below shows the variety of mangos that I used and the one on the right hand shows the  mangoes after peeling off the outer skin.

Here is a picture of the dish after preparing:

Let's see how do we prepare this delicacy.

Ingredients:
1) Ripe mango (Nattu manga)    4 nos (peel of the outer skin);
    Turmeric powder                    as needed;
    Green chilly                            3 nos (slit through center);
    Salt                                          as needed;

2) Coconut                                  grated (1/2   cup);
    Cumin seeds (jeera)                ½ tsp;
    Small onion                             5 nos;

3)Curd                                         3 tbsp;

4) Coconut oil                             1 tbsp;
    Curry leaves                            1 spring;
    Mustard                                   1 tsp;
    Dried red chillies                     4 nos (cut in to 3 pieces);

Method of preparation:
1. Wash the ripe mangoes, remove the outer skin. You can peel off the skin with your hands, no need to use a knife.

2. Take one clay pot, add the items under 1 (mango, turmeric powder, chilly and salt) along with some water. Cook it well.

3. Grind the items under 2 (coconut, cumin seeds, and small onions) and make it into a paste. Add this into the above mixture, stir well. When it starts boling swich off the flame. To this add curd and mix well.

4. Heat oil in a pan and sprinkle in mustard seeds.When they start sputtering add curry leaves and chilly piecess stirr well,Add these in to the above mixture, stir well.


Your curry is ready to serve!