Raitha (Yogurt Relish), Moringa/Drum Stick Fruit, Pakoras Cooking Recipe
Raitha (Yogurt Relish) Cooking Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- Flowers and buds 250 gm, rinse and give it a boil for 5 min, strain and cool (do not discard water)
- Salt to taste
- Sugar ½ tsp
- Mustard powder or crushed mustard seeds ½ tsp
- Peppercorns freshly grounded ½ tsp
- Green chilies 2, seeded and chopped finely
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing
COOKING METHOD
The Drum Stick tree Moringa – A miracle plant bestowed to us by nature where every part of the tree is beneficial for our health in an amazing way. It provides an abundance of nutrition and helps every aspect of health. The leaves and flowers aid in regulating blood sugar levels, as a digestive, helps to make strong bones, purifies blood, boosts immunity. The leaves are a “Super Food”. There are several ways in which the leaves, flowers and fruits, known popularly as drum sticks, can be eaten in savory ways.
The leaves can be had as a tea by boiling in water for 5 min, strain and drunk hot. A few drops of lemon may be added to improve the taste. As an addition to salads, get a handful of new leaves, wash, chop, mix with other greens, sliced spring onions, cherry tomatoes, sliced red radishes and a french dressing. They can also be added to other salads, pasta dishes, noodles.
Over-cooking lessens the food value of the leaves, so it is better to eat them f resh. Flowers make a splendid Raitha.
If fortunate enough to have a tree nearby, collect the flowers and buds as they grow in a bunch from the branches of the tree.
- Chop up the boiled flowers (not too finely)
- Beat the curd, add salt, pepper, sugar and mustard
- Mix the chopped flowers and buds into the curd
- Add chopped green chillies, mix
- Serve chilled.
Moringa/Drum Stick Fruit Cooking Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- Fruit of the drumstick/Moringa tree
- Onions,
- ginger-garlic paste,
- tomatoes,
- haldi,
- red chilli,
- coriander powder and salt (for the gravy)
COOKING METHOD
Cooking Moringa (For Sambar) Moringa fruits grow into long thick beans and are sold by shopkeepers tied up in a bundle with a string. One should choose the ones which are not too thick, as they turn out to be over-ripe and fibrous. If you are plucking from a tree leave the ones which are too thick as they will bear the seeds for new plants. The ideal ones are slim and a dark green. The root of the Moringa tree is made into medicine.
- Wash them, cut the ends and lightly scrape the top skin off.
- Cut in 3″ pieces and add them to Sambar when the lentil is cooked. Do not add them from the start as the result will be that they will be overcooked and fall apart. Takes about 5 min on open fire to cook.
Moringa Side dish
- Cut and skin Moringa the same way
- Make a thick gravy of onions, ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, haldi, red chilli, coriander powder and salt.
- Add the pieces in the gravy and put little water added to it.
- Lower flame. Cook for 5 min.
- Sprinkle a little amchoor powder before serving.
Pakoras (Chick Pea Flour Dumplings) Cooking Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- Boiled buds and flowers of Moringa tree 1 cup, roughly chopped
- Chickpea flour [Besan] 200 gm
- Salt to taste
- Red chilli powder ½ tsp
- Carraway seed [Ajwain]
- Soda-bicarbonate powder, a pinch
- Oil for deep frying
COOKING METHOD
- Mix all ingredients, making a thick batter, using the wa¬ter which was drained out of the flowers and buds that were boiled (it has all the food value)
- Heat oil
- With a teaspoon scoop the ready pakora batter and drop into the hot oil, 2 or 3 at a time
- Fry till golden brown all around
- Take out and put on clean paper towel to drain out extra oil
- Serve hot with Ketchup or chutney.
The same ingredients can be used in a batter made of either white urad dal [Vigna mungo]. This is soaked for 3 to 4 h or preferably, overnight and round into a thick paste. The consistency should be suitable for frying into dumplings after the chopped flowers are mixed into the batter. Eliminate the chickpea flour in this recipe. Fry same way and serve accordingly.
