Drumstick leaves poriyal / Munaga Aaku vepudu (stir fry)

Many people enjoy the taste of stir-fried drumstick leaves, but don’t know the name of it. It’s called “poriyal” in Tamil. Some people call the dish “munaga aaku vepudu”, which is the Telugu name.

Poriyal or stir fry is a popular South Indian dish that is best known as a side dish for dosas or rice. It is a popular dish in South Indian homes, especially during celebrations. Poriyal is usually made with dal (lentils) and vegetables such as drumsticks, drum, drumstick leaves, drumstick tips, drumstick stems, drumstick leaves, drumstick roots, drumstick tips, drumstick top, drumstick, stems and drumstick top. Some other vegetable used in poriyal is carrot, beet potato, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, green chili, baby corn, onion, bell pepper, drumstick leaves, drumstick roots and drumstick tip.

In the first week of June, the drumstick leaves are harvested from the trees. Then these leaves are washed and dried in the sun. After that they are cut into pieces. The pieces are cooked and the aroma of the cooked leaves spreads all over the village.

Drumstick leaves poriyal is a nutritious side dish and one of my favorite stir fry ingredients (poriyal). Drumstick leaves are extensively utilized in India’s southern states. Murungai keerai in Tamil and munaga aaku in Telugu are the names for drumstick leaves. Drumstick leaves are high in vitamin C, proteins, iron, and potassium, and are an excellent source of these nutrients. It has a lot of medical properties. For pregnant women, it is an excellent source of iron. Here’s some information.

My mother’s recipe for drumstick leaves poriyal (stir fry) is what I’m sharing with you today. My mum prepares a delicious rasam using drumstick leaves, as well as a drumstick leaves fry (poriyal with dal). Want to discover how she cooks two meals at the same time with the same amount of ingredients? It was one of my favorites when I was little, and it is one of my favorites now. The only time-consuming aspect is plucking the leaves, but the final product is really tasty and pleasant. This, among other dishes, will be in high demand whenever I visit my mother’s home. My mum used to pick fresh and young drumstick leaves instead of large and aged leaves. It has a superior flavor and does not have a bitter aftertaste.

I have never tasted the bitterness of the leaves while making rasam or stir fry (poriyal) – it is very delicious and healthy. Drumstick leaves rasam and drumstick leaves with dal stir fry (munaga aaku kandi papu or vepudu in Telugu or poriyal in Tamil) are two of my favorite dishes to make together. You may also use the recipe for munaga aaku rasam. To prepare the rasam, make a stock with the dal and drumstick leaves. Drumstick leaves left over after stock preparation may be used to create a stir-fry with dal and drumstick leaves as a side dish. It’s simple to make the poriyal with cooked and strained dal and drumstick leaves. I used roasted gram dal powder, which gives the drumstick leaves more flavor and taste.

Time to prepare: 5 minutes (excluding boiling and straining of dal and drumstick leaves)

Time to prepare: 20 minutes

Andhra cuisine

Serves: 2

Medium spiciness

Ingredients

Boiling water

• • 3 1/2 cups drumstick leaves (about 100 gms)
  • 3/4 to 1 cup toor dal (arharr dal)
  • 7 cups of water
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon oil (optional)

Tempering/tadka

• • 2 tbsp. oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3 dried chilies
  • 20 curry leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves (large, smashed or sliced)
  • 1 medium onion (sliced)
  • 3 slit/sliced green chillies

Spices

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3–4 tablespoons roasted gram powder
• Drumstick leaves cooked in dal
• a pinch of salt (to taste)

Method

• • To make the powder, roast the gram dal/chana dal/dariya split (putanalu in Telugu and pottukadalai in Tamil). Keep it on hand.
  • Prepare the onion by chopping it and slicing or slitting the green chilies.
  • For boiling dal with drumstick leaves, see the munaga aaku rasam recipe. Prepare the strained and cooked dal as well as the drumstick leaves.

Mixture of drumstick leaves

• • Add the cooked dal and drumstick leaves to a pot or large dish. Toss the dal and drumstick leaves with all of the spices, salt, and roasted chana powder (dalia or putanalu in Telugu or pottukadalai in Tamil). Mix well and set aside.

Stir-frying and tempering

• Heat the pot and pour in the oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and dried chilies (split each into two pieces) and let them splutter. Then add the onion, curry leaves, garlic, and green chilies. Fry the onion until it is tender and translucent.
• Add the dal and drumstick leaves combination you set up before. Stir well and heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until well cooked. Dalia (putanalu) should no longer have a raw odor.
• All of the spices should be cooked thoroughly. In between, stir a little but not too much. When the food is done, turn off the heat.
• Serve with simple rice and rasam.

Notes

• You may adjust the amount of chilli according to your preferences. Green chilies are something I try to stay away from on occasion.
• If desired, you may add raw chopped onions to the cooked dal and drumstick leaves combination instead of frying them. Then add the spice while cooking for a unique flavor.
• Reduce the amount of dal or increase the amount of drumstick leaves before cooking.
• The poriyal will still taste delicious even if the dal is overdone and soft, so don’t worry.

 

Stir fry dishes are one of my go-to comfort foods. They’re easy to throw together, easy on the wallet, and most importantly, easy on the palate! This recipe is an adaptation of a dish I learned from my mom when I was a kid – the recipe was originally called ‘poriyal’ (a mixture of vegetables), but as I grew up I learned that the dish is usually made of drumstick leaves.. Read more about drumstick leaves paratha and let us know what you think.