Munagaku Recipes: How to Cook with Drumstick Leaves
Hello, Good News! Welcome to our blog where we share delicious and healthy recipes from around the world. Today, we are going to introduce you to some amazing dishes that you can make with munagaku, also known as drumstick leaves or moringa leaves.
Munagaku is a superfood that has been used in Indian cuisine for centuries. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and protein. It has many health benefits, such as lowering blood sugar levels, boosting immunity, improving digestion, and fighting inflammation. Munagaku can be used in various ways, such as soups, stir-fries, curries, dals, and teas. In this article, we will show you some of the best munagaku recipes that you can try at home.
Munagaku Vepudu: A Simple and Tasty Stir-Fry
One of the easiest and most popular ways to cook munagaku is to make a stir-fry with potatoes and spices. This dish is called munagaku vepudu in Telugu and is a common side dish in Andhra Pradesh. It goes well with rice and rasam or sambar. Here is how you can make it:
Ingredients
- 3 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups of drumstick leaves, washed and drained
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon of urad dal (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of chana dal (optional)
- 3 to 4 green chilies, slit or ½ teaspoon of red chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon of hing (asafetida)
- 1 dried red chili, broken (optional)
- 1½ to 2 tablespoons of oil
- ¼ teaspoon of turmeric
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon of cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of mustard
- Salt to taste
Method
- Heat oil in a nonstick pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, hing, garlic, curry leaves, and red chili.
- Add the drumstick leaves and sauté on high flame for a few minutes.
- Add salt and turmeric and mix well.
- Simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add green chilies or red chili powder and mix well.
- Add the boiled potatoes and toss gently.
- Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until the leaves are cooked.
- Enjoy your munagaku vepudu with rice and rasam or sambar.
Munagaku Soup: A Nutritious and Comforting Drink
If you are looking for a warm and soothing drink that can boost your health and immunity, then you should try munagaku soup. This is a herbal tea made with drumstick leaves and spices. It is also known as moringa tea or drumstick leaves tea. It can help you fight colds, coughs, fevers, and infections. It can also detoxify your body and improve your metabolism. Here is how you can make it:
Ingredients
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of drumstick leaves, washed and drained
- 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- A small piece of ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- Salt to taste
- Lemon juice to taste (optional)
- Honey to taste (optional)
Method
- Coarsely grind the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, ginger, and garlic in a mortar and pestle or a blender.
- Heat water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Add the drumstick leaves and the ground spice mixture.
- Add salt and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the leaves are soft.
- Strain the soup into a cup or a bowl.
- Add lemon juice and honey if desired.
- Sip your munagaku soup slowly and enjoy its benefits.
Munagaku Dal: A Protein-Rich and Flavorful Curry
Another great way to use munagaku is to make a dal or a lentil curry with it. This is a common dish in South Indian cuisine, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is called munagaku pappu kura in Telugu and murungai keerai paruppu kootu in Tamil. It is a hearty and satisfying dish that can be served with rice, roti, or dosa. It is also vegan and gluten-free. Here is how you can make it:
Ingredients
- 1 cup of toor dal (split pigeon peas)
- 2 cups of water
- ¼ teaspoon of turmeric
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups of drumstick leaves, washed and drained
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
- A pinch of hing (asafetida)
- 2 dried red chilies, broken
- A few curry leaves
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 teaspoon of ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon of red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon of garam masala
- A handful of cilantro, chopped
Method
- Wash and soak the toor dal for 20 minutes.
- Drain the water and pressure cook the dal with 2 cups of water, turmeric, and salt for 3 to 4 whistles or until soft and mushy.
- Mash the dal lightly and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet and splutter the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, red chilies, and curry leaves.
- Add the green chilies and onion and sauté until golden.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.
- Add the tomatoes and cook until soft.
- Add the coriander powder, red chili powder, garam masala, and salt and mix well.
- Add the drumstick leaves and cook for 5 minutes or until wilted.
- Add the cooked dal and water as needed to adjust the consistency.
- Bring the dal to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until well combined.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice, roti, or dosa.
- 3 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups of drumstick leaves, washed and drained
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 sprig of curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon of urad dal (optional)
- 1 tablespoon of chana dal (optional)
- 3 to 4 green chilies, slit or ½ teaspoon of red chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon of hing (asafetida)
- 1 dried red chili, broken (optional)
- 1½ to 2 tablespoons of oil
- ¼ teaspoon of turmeric
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon of cumin
- ¼ teaspoon of mustard
- Salt to taste
- Heat oil in a nonstick pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, hing, garlic, curry leaves, and red chili.
- Add the drumstick leaves and sauté on high flame for a few minutes.
- Add salt and turmeric and mix well.
- Simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add green chilies or red chili powder and mix well.
- Add the boiled potatoes and toss gently.
- Cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until the leaves are cooked.
- Enjoy your munagaku vepudu with rice and rasam or sambar.
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup of drumstick leaves, washed and drained
- 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- A small piece of ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
Munagaku Nutrition Facts: A Detailed Table Breakdown
Munagaku is not only delicious but also nutritious. It is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It contains more than 90 nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. It has more vitamin A than carrots, more vitamin C than oranges, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, more protein than eggs, and more potassium than bananas. It also has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antidiabetic, anticancer, and antihypertensive properties. Here is a detailed table breakdown of the nutrition facts of munagaku per 100 grams of raw leaves:
| Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 64 kcal | 3% |
| Fat | 1.4 g | 2% |
| Saturated fat | 0.3 g | 1% |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0.4 g | – |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0.2 g | – |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 9 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 337 mg | 10% |
| Carbohydrate | 8.3 g | 3% |
| Fiber | 2 g8% | |
| Sugar | 1.7 g | – |
| Protein | 9.4 g | 19% |
| Vitamin A | 378 mcg | 42% |
| Vitamin C | 51.7 mg | 58% |
| Vitamin E | 0.4 mg | 3% |
| Vitamin K | 23.8 mcg | 20% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.3 mg | 25% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.7 mg | 54% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.6 mg | 10% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.5 mg | 39% |
| Folate (B9) | 40 mcg | 10% |