Healthy Murungai keerai podi Drumstick leaves powder

 Healthy Murungai keerai podi Drumstick leaves powder 

The best way to boost immunity naturally is by adding drumstick leaves to your diet, popularly known as murungai keerai in Tamil. There are many variations this bitter leaf can be added to your daily meals. One such is by preparing alongside dal powder also known as paruppu podi. The idea of making this combination is my kids do not eat these murungai / drumstick leaves in any form of curry or greens, had to find a way to get these into their sidekicks for idli, dosa etc., There is an innumerous number of health benefits, that is why these are exported largely overseas.

Ingredients required Murungai keerai podi Drumstick leaves powder 

1. Drumstick leaves

2. White Sesame seeds - 4 spoons

3. Channa dal - 2 spoons

4. Black urad dal - 4 spoons

5. Dried red chillies - 10 - 12

6. Peppercorns - 1 spoon

7. Garlic - 10 - 12 pods

8. Asafoetida - 1/2 spoon

9. Salt as required

10. Curry leaves

Preparation method Healthy Murungai keerai podi Drumstick leaves powder 

Wash and separate the drumstick leaves from the stems, spread them across in a large plate and dry them in shade within the house for 2 to 3 days. This will help to naturally reduce the moisture, which will help in increasing their shelf life.

Three days later the drumstick leaves are almost dried now, lets heat a Kadai / wok, simmer the flame and add the drumstick leaves, tossing continuously. Crush the leaves with your hands, if they crumble with a dry crackling sound, remove them from the Kadai and set them aside. Crumble the with your hand to get a powdery consistency.

Let's add sesame seeds to the pan and toss for about 30 to 60 seconds, or until they are drily roasted, toss continuously else they may get burnt, once done remove from pan and set aside.

Next on the dry roasting list is channa dal, these belong to the lentil family and is packed with high protein, roast until they turn golden brown and set aside.

Followed by black urad dal or urad dal with skin, this takes comparatively lesser time than channa dal, so keep a closer watch, else they may tend to burn, once done set aside.

The flavour and aroma of dry red chillies, while they are roasted, take this recipe to the next level, add them accordingly to the heat that you may require, here I have taken 10 to 12, they tend to burn faster, keep tossing and set aside.

Another dimension to our taste buds is infused by adding peppercorns, while you add a spoonful to dry roast, it splatters after few seconds of getting in contact with the hot pan, they splatter and release their aroma. This is an included benefit that you enjoy while dry roasting spices.

Garlic pods with skin get into the pan now, the skin has a unique taste so had preferred t keep it that way. While they release their flavours remove them from the pan and set them aside.

As we have included lentils in our recipe, it's advised to add asafoetida, which will help address other helpful benefits. Add salt and asafoetida together, as the pan is hot, it just takes less than 10 seconds, remove and set aside.

Each ingredient has a different roasting time, that is why they need to be roasted separately.

Cool the ingredients before blending to a coarse powder,  in order not to heat the mixture inside, add curry leaves and dry run at a slow speed,. Earlier days these were hand-pounded.

Add the drumstick leaves powder which we have kept aside earlier to the blender and a spoon of salt.

Flavourful and tasty murungai keerai podi or drumstick leaves powder is ready, cool them for 10 to 15 minutes, before filling them in an airtight container.

You can use this as a sidekick for idli, dosa and steamed rice with ghee or sesame oil.

Click here to watch the detailed recipe video.

Thank you