Moringa…murungai/drumstick…. The miracle tree of yesteryear in is the breaking news yet again. …moringa powders, tea bags, oils, s capsule supplements, leaves in omelet’s, powders in cookies, cakes and breads…Whew! …social media is abuzz with all that’s moringa.
A perennial tree with abundant leaves, small creamy white flowers, and long green pods of drumsticks, this sleepy tree is generally a backyard beauty. The tree would serve as an emergency veggie basket, with its leaves, flowers, and pods used prolifically in Indian cuisine. Its use in everyday cooking dates to ancient times when the Mauryan warriors used to be fed this miracle food to see them sailing through wars.
What is amazing is the ancient knowledge and traditional food combinations using moringa ending up in nutritionally complete food. The final step in homemade ghee preparation would be the addition of a handful of the moringa leaves. This process would not only enhance the aroma of ghee but would also help in the seeping of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin, thus enriching ghee with natural Vitamin A which is drizzled on to our plates every day. Similar is the combination of iron-rich moringa leaves and calcium-rich ragi in the preparation of ragi rotis or adais. The fiber, vitamins, protein, and minerals that the pods provide when consumed as a curry, pickle, kootu or in a sambhar make a small addition to our nutrient intake. In fact, African countries look at this miracle tree as a panacea for malnutrition.
Foodialogues shares with you one such recipe….. A traditional murungai keerai Adai…a crisp dosa like dish made with lentils and effectively combined with moringa leaves for the extra nutrition load & flavor. Protein rich enhanced with iron and fiber this recipe is a weight watchers delight.
MURUNGAI KEERAI ADAI / MORINGA LEAVES ADAI RECIPE
Ingredients for Murungai Keerai Adai:
- Raw rice 1 c
- Boiled rice 1 c
- Red gram/tuvar dal ½ c
- Bengal gram/channa dal ½ c
- Black gram/udad dal 2 tbsp
- Red chilly broken 8
- Curry leaves few
- Asafoetida 1 tsp
- Coconut grated ½ c
- Salt as required.
- Washed, towel dried murungai keerai/moringa leaves 2 c
- Sesame oil for pan frying.
Preparation Method for Murungai Keerai Adai:
- Wash and soak the dals and rice together for 4 hours. Add chilly to the soaking water. Grind all ingredients except the keerai.
- Grind with minimum water to a Coarse paste. Add salt, asafoetida & leaves. Mix well.
- Make it into thick dosas. drizzle sesame oil on the sides and cook both sides till crisp. Remove and serve hot with some butter.
Healthy & Tasty “Murungai Keerai Adai” is ready 🙂
