Murungai Keerai Poriyal Drumstick Leaves Stir Fry Moringa Leaves Stir Fry

Drumstick leaves | Moringa leaves | Murungai Keerai

Drumstick leaves or moringa leaves, popularly known as murungai keerai in Tamil, are among the common greens varieties used in Tamil kitchens. Moringa (the botanical name is moringa oleifera) is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. According to science direct, moringa is said to provide seven times more vitamin C than oranges, ten times more vitamin A than carrots, 17 times more calcium than milk, nine times more protein than yogurt, 15 times more potassium than bananas, and 25 times more iron than spinach. Amazing right? Back in India, you can find the drumstick tree in the backyard of many households. I have rarely seen people buying it from shops. In the US, Indian grocery stores usually have them imported. The moringa pods or the murungai kai, moringa flowers, and the leaves are all edible, and you can prepare different delicious dishes with these ingredients. I have drumstick sambar, kootu, and moringa leaves rasam already on the blog.

Cleaning and preparing the moringa leaves for cooking:

Typically you get moringa leaves in a bunch with stems/stalks. It’s very rare to find moringa leaves with stems removed. The time-consuming process in preparing this stir-fry is destemming the moringa leaves. It’s not a complicated process but a time-consuming one. We need to strip the leaves from the stems patiently and discard the thick stems/stalks as they are woody and not edible.

Here is how I clean my moringa leaves:

Strip the leaves from the stems using your fingers in the reverse direction. Doing it in the reverse direction is relatively easy and fast, and in this way, you can easily discard the tiny stems. After stripping all the leaves, check for small stems and discard as much as you can.Then wash the leaves and let them sit in the water for a minute. If there are tiny stems, they get settled in the bottom.

VVK Tip: Wash the moringa leaves after destemming them. It’s hard to strip if you wash the leaves first. Also, I highly recommend destemming the leaves well ahead.

Murungai keerai poriyal

While you can make both kootu/gravy and poriyal/stir-fry with moringa leaves, my all-time favorite is the stir-fry or the poriyal. My mom got this recipe from our neighbors when we were in Pannaipuram. It’s a simple stir-fry that gets done in less than 30 minutes. With shallots added, this poriyal is so delicious and healthy as well. If you are getting started with moringa leaves and trying to get acquired to their taste, I recommend trying this poriyal. It pairs well with dal rice, sambar rice, and rasam rice. You can relish it as is also. I know moringa capsules and powders are becoming popular these days, but folks, fresh leaves have their unique flavor, and nothing can beat that.

Dietary specifications.

This murungai keerai poriyal is vegan by nature. It’s a nut-free and gluten-free dish as well. And as I mentioned before, you can serve this poriyal with any rice dishes or relish it as is.

How to make murungai keerai poriyal

Heat the kadai or a saucepan and add oil. I used my clay pot for making this poriyal. When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and chana dal. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the dried red chilies and saute for 20 to 30 seconds.

Then add the chopped shallots.

Let the shallots turn translucent and soft. Then add the cleaned moringa leaves. Add salt, ground turmeric, and ground pepper.

Mix well. If using sugar, add the sugar as well and mix thoroughly.

Cover and cook the moringa leaves over medium-low heat for four to five minutes.

Then remove the lid and cook till the oozed out water is all evaporated.

Here it is after the poriyal is thoroughly cooked. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes:

Adding shallots adds a unique flavor to the spinach. If you don’t have shallots, you can use half a cup of chopped red or yellow onion. Adjust the salt and spices as per your preference. Sugar is also optional. It helps to balance the flavor, but that’s completely optional. I usually add ground pepper and turmeric to all my greens and spinach. Adjust the measure according to your preference. Try to remove the stems as much as you can. Sometimes, even after a thorough cleaning, you might find some small stems here and there, and don’t fret about it. You can discard them as you cook.

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PS – If you try this moringa leaves stir-fry, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates.