The biggest tree I remember from my childhood days back at my home in North India was this rough and tough ,"Drumstick tree".This tree was something,as if mom also fed it a jug of Horlicks or something,it grew leaps and bounds within no time and was quite fruitful.Not only us ,all our neighbors equally targeted it as a part of their balanced diet every now and then.Sometimes it was the drumstick/fruit,sometimes the flowers and sometimes the leaves.Poor tree sacrificed itself strongly,happily and willingly like a statue.Bechara,kaam ka bhoj ka maara !!Sigh !!
I really felt bad for this tree.I wished mom wouldn't at least attack this tree for my sake or say my excuse not to eat these leaves.I never liked it especially the leaves.The smell itself used to be such a big turn off.It made me feel nothing less than a cow /goat eating grass.And that "vomiting-expression on my face"made my mom really roar like a lioness.And the next thing we know ,she starts lecturing (like I do here ;P) about how nutritious these leaves are.I would simply run for my walkman then.
However,after coming to US after marriage,the mere thought of each and every item prepared by mom in the past made me utterly drooling and craving. There were hardly any food I hated anymore.The same thing happened with the drumstick leaves as well.
Infact,here it is quite rarely available.It is like once in a blue moon kinda vegetable here.I came across only once or twice in Indian store so far and whenever I did,I am sure every people in the store thought I was running to defuse a bomb or something.Poor honey P was like,OH NOOOO!..There she goes and I didn't see it.She is not with me people.
This summer was the second time,I bought bunch of fresh drumstick leaves and I couldn't wait further to cook different recipes and torture my kitchen .The first recipe that I prepared was Drumstick leaves and potato stir fry.Very simple side dish that can be enjoyed with hot plate of rice and curry or any roti,parantha etc.
Drumstick leaves and potato stir fry
Ingredients
Potato,small,diced - 4-5 nos
Drumstick leaves - 1 cup
Onion ,small,sliced-1 no.
Green chillies -1-2 nos.
Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon(optional)
Asafoetida- a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Red dry chilly ,broken-2
Curry leaves-4-5 nos
Salt to taste
Coconut oil - 1-2 tablespoons
Method :
- Wash the drumstick leaves well ,chop them and keep them aside.
- Heat oil in a kadai/pan,temper mustard seeds,cumin seeds,dry chillies and asafoetida.
- Add the sliced onions and green chillies and saute till onions turn translucent.
- Add curry leaves,saute,then add the potato cubes and the chopped drumstick leaves,saute them for a minute.
- Add turmeric powders,red chilly powders and Garam masala,stir well.
- Add a teaspoon of water,mix ,cover and cook on low flame until the potatoes are tender and drumstick leaves are cooked..
- Uncover it ,add a teaspoon of oil and salt to taste ,mix well and keep sauteing for a minute or two.
- Drumstick potato stir fry is ready.
- Serve it hot with plain rice and curry.
- Pluck drumstick leaves that look fresh not wilted or discolored otherwise it will taste quite bitter and discard the stalks.
Eat,love,live DELICIOUSLY,
