It’s spring time and what better way to play with some flowers. Topping the list is Moringa. Available in abundance in spring this super plant is absolutely a delight to have. With high on nutrition and strong immunity booster, the swaanjhra (moringa flowers sees a much rich nutritional profile. A must to have during this season, the health benefits of Moringa or the drumstick tree is eaten or utilised from root to shoot. Loaded with vitamins that are a must for the body, this vibrant green colour plant is nothing less than green doctor. Be it Moringa tea, or moringa soup, the way to have this magic okant to endless.
Here are three quick and easy recipes that you can do either with the flowers, drumsticks or the leaves.
Sorshe Sojne / Drumsticks in Mustard paste
Ingredients
• Sajna/drumsticks - 1.25 cups
• White/Yellow mustard pwd/pasted whole mustard seeds- 1 Tsp
• Onion paste - finely paste - 2 Tbsp
• I potato peeled and chopped
• Turmeric pwd- 1/2 Tsp
• Red Chilli (hot) pwd- as per taste or 3/4 th Tsp
• Cumin pwd - 1/3 Tsp
• Oil - white and mustard oil mixed
• salt- to taste
• Green chillies- 2 pcs , each cut into halves
• water - 1.25cups for gravy
Method
• Cut drumstick and potatoes
• Make a smooth paste of mustard using both sees also add some green chilli and garlic to and little water
• Heat oil in a Kadhai and put the drumstick and potato
• Keep tossing then and sauteing then for a minute.
• Add salt and turmeric
• Then add the mustard paste and 2 cups of water
• Now add red chilli powder and cook in high flame till all the water evaporates
• Once all the vegetables are cooked and the mustard paste mixes well, it’s done.
• Serve hot with rice
Sajana-Phula Pakodi/Moringa Flower Fritter
• Moringa flower 1 cup
• Gram-flour 1 cup
• Garlic cloves 10
• Green Chili 4
• Salt
• Oil to fry
• Water
INSTRUCTIONS
• Wash the flowers very carefully and chop them well.
• Make a garlic and green chili paste.
• Take gramflour in a bowl and add the paste along with the chopped flowers.
• If u want more bitter then add the Moringa leaves.
• Add salt to taste.
• Add water to make a thick batter. Heat oil and drop spoonful of batter into oil. Cook at medium heat.
• Turn both sides until well done. Serve hot.
Sojne Pata diye Bhaja Muger Dal/ Moong dal with Drumstick Leaves
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup moong dal (green gram), dry roasted
• 1 cup drumstick leaves
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 tsp. panch phoron
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. salt to taste
• 1 tsp. ghee
Method
• Pressure cook the roasted dal. Once done then put the drumstick leaves and cover it for sometime. It will get half cooked in the steam.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add some paanch phoren, dry red chilies, bay leaves, cardamoms, ginger, and turmeric powder and saute it well for few seconds.
• Once doe then add the boiled dal, green chilies and salt.
• Slowly bring it to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes on a low flame.
• When done, switch off the flame and top some ghee.
• Serve it with some hot rice.
