Drumstick Leaves Poriyal Recipe (Murungai Keerai Poriyal)

Drumstick leaves onion poriyal is a traditional South Indian stir-fry recipe made using fresh drumstick leaves ( murungai keerai ), onion and spices. The onion adds a subtle sweetness, while the drumstick leaves give the dish a unique texture and flavour. Drumstick leave poriyal is a healthy and tasty way to include greens in your daily meal. It is a perfect side dish for hot rice with sambar or rasam. It is a quick, simple and wholesome dish that adds both the taste and nutrition to your meal.

Drumstick Leaves Poriyal Recipe

with step wise pictures. Healthy and flavourful drumstick leaves onion poriyal which taste great with rice. You can enjoy with sambar rice or any kuzhambu as you wish.

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Drumstick leaves are packed with tons of nutrients. It is highly recommended to have this atleast twice or thrice a week. It is lots of iron content in them, great for pregnancy. But it is recommended to consume only on 2nd trimester.

About Drumstick Leaves Poriyal

Drumstick leaves also known as moringa leaves or murungai keerai. It is one of the leafy green vegetables that are high in protein, which is not commonly found in other leafy greens. They are packed with vitamins, minerals and iron that are good for your health. Because of these nutrition benefits, it is a great way to include drumstick leaves in your everyday meals. This will make your meal both nutritious and satisfying.

Drumstick leaf poriyal is a tasty and healthy side dish that goes very well with sambar, kara kuzhambu and rasam. It is one of the poriyal that will be light, healthy and full of flavour. Even if someone says they don’t like greens, they often end up enjoying this poriyal. It is a simple and comforting food that is full of nutrients.

Drumstick leaves are a versatile and easily available ingredient. It has a high nutritional content that boosts immunity and increases iron levels. It is popularly used in many South Indian recipes ranging from poriyal, kootu, adai, sambar and soup.

Some people may think greens like these are too bitter or too healthy, but when cooked properly with onion, a bit of spices, coconut and they end up tasting really good. Grated coconut is a classic addition to South Indian poriyals. It adds a sweetness and texture that balances the slight bitterness of the leaves.

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Rajasthan Brinjal Poriyal

Brinjal Roast

Besan Brinjal Fry

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Quick and easy : The poriyal is prepared using the easily available ingredients. It doesn’t involve any complicated cooking or tools. You just need to clean the leaves, stir fry with onion and basic tempering. This simple poriyal brings out the natural flavours and taste in no time.

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE – I love drumstick leaves poriyal because it is simple, healthy and full of flavour. The fresh green color looks so nice and tastes so delicious when paired with hot steamed rice. The best part about the recipe is so easy to make, especially on days when I’m tired or busy. The poriyal comes together in minutes and doesn’t need much effort. It is simple, comforting and full of goodness. It makes you feel like you’ve eaten something truly nourishing.

Versatile : Drumstick leaves poriyal is a versatile recipe that can be paired with plain rice, rasam rice, sambar rice or curd. It can be made more protein rich poriyal by adding moong dal, peanuts, egg or tofu based on your dietary preference.

High in nutrition : Drumstick leaves are one of the most nutritious greens. These leaves are packed full of iron, protein, calcium and vitamins. This poriyal is a great way to include in your meal to get benefit of all those nutritions.

Ingredients

Drumstick leaves : Drumstick leaves is the main ingredient for this stir fry recipe. Make sure to use fresh and tender leaves. You can also substitute with other green leaves like methi leaves, palak leaves, amarnath leaves ( thandu keerai ) based on your dietary preference.

Mustard seeds : Mustard seeds are used for tempering. When heated in oil, they should crack and pop up. It adds a nutty taste and aroma.

Cumin seeds : Cumins seeds adds a subtle earthy flavour and helps in digestion.

Dry red chilli : Dry red chill adds the heat to the recipe. Break into pieces and add while tempering. You can also substitute with green chillies or red chilli powder.

Curry leaves : Curry leaves are generally used in tempering South Indian cooking for their aroma and taste.

Oil : Add a minimum amount of oil for tempering, as it makes the poriyal so light and healthy. Any cooking oil can be used like sesame oil, coconut oil, peanut oil of your choice.

Onion : Finely chopped onion adds a subtle sweetness and acts as base to the poriyal. It also helps to balance the bitterness of the leaves.

Sugar or Jaggery : A pinch of sugar or jaggery is added to balance the bitterness of the drumstick leaves and also to retain the vibrant green color.

Coconut : Grated coconut is added for its rich and sweet flavour. You can also use frozen coconut or substitute with roasted peanuts.

Hacks

Freshness : Always choose fresh, bright drumstick leaves. Avoid any stem or leaf that looks wilted or yellowed. Wash the fresh leaves thoroughly under water to remove dirt.

De-stemming : The individual leaves need to be separated from the stems. This can be a bit time consuming. A quick hack is to hold a bunch of stems at the top and gently run your finger downwards. This will easily strip off the leaves.

Don’t overcook : Drumstick leaves cook very quickly. It releases its own moisture while cooking. Adding too much water will make the poriyal watery. Add just a splash of water or no water is needed at all. Overcooking can make them mushy and reduce their nutritional value.

Drumstick Leaves Poriyal (Step by Step Pictures)

1)Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin seeds

2)Add in dry red chillies

3)Add in onions

4)Saute for a min

5)Add in drumstick leaves

6)Stir well

7)Add salt

8)Add in little water

9)Cook till the leaves is wilted.

10)Add in little sugar

11)Add in coconut

12)Stir fry till it is well mixed

13)Serve

Expert Tips

For extra protein, add cooked moong dal or a beaten egg to the poriyal.
Add a pinch of sugar to retain the vibrant green color.
Use tender leaves to avoid bitterness and thick texture.
After you turn off the stove add grated coconut and give a gentle mix. It prevents coconut from browning and retains the fresh taste.
For added sweetness and nutrient, you can also add some grated carrot.
To make it spicier, you can add finely chopped green chillies or red chilli powder.
For a nutty and crunchy flavour, add a handful of roasted and crushed peanuts towards the end.

Storage

Store the unwashed drumstick leaves in a ziploc bag or in a container. Moisture content will spoil the leaves quickly, so cover with a tissue paper and store it. It stays good for a week.

It is best to consume the drumstick leaves poriyal on the same day. If you like to store it in the refrigerator, put them in a container and it stays good for 1 to 2 days. Reheat them using a stovetop or microwave oven. Add a splash of water while reheating. But the texture and flavour differ when stored and reheated.

Serving

Serve the drumstick leave poriyal with hot steamed rice, sambar and rasam. It also goes very well with roti. Add a dollop of ghee on top while serving.

FAQ

Q . Do I need to blanch the drumstick leaves before cooking ?

No, blanching is generally not recommended for drumstick leaves. When stir fried, it cooks very quickly.

Q . Can I use frozen drumstick leaves ?

While fresh is recommended for best taste, you can also use frozen leaves. Thaw them completely and drain any excess water before cooking.

Q . Is it vegan ?

Yes, it is completely a vegan recipe. All the ingredients used like leaves, coconut and spices are naturally vegan.

Q . Can I make this without coconut ?

Yes, you can. Coconut can be skipped or substituted with roasted nuts like peanuts, flax seeds, sunflower seeds.

Q. My poriyal turns watery? What went wrong ?

This may happen when you add too much water while cooking or when you don’t completely drain the water after washing the leaves. So ensure the leaves are completely dry and cook uncovered to evaporate the moisture.

Variations

Drumstick leaves egg poriyal : This is a quick and healthy protein rich stir fry recipe. The drumstick leaves are cooked with onion, spices and then finally add beaten eggs. Cook until it is scrambled and dried with no moisture left. It goes very well with chapathi, rice or even you can use this as a wrap or sandwich filling.

Drumstick poriyal : This is a simple South Indian poriyal recipe. Tender drumsticks are cooked along with onion, spices, brinjal and potato. It is a great accompaniment for rasam rice, sambar rice and curd.

Drumstick leaves ulundhu kanji : This is a healthy and nutritious breakfast or lunch option. The drumstick leaves are cooked along with rice and urad dal like a porridge consistency. It is a savoury porridge that makes a filling and wholesome meal.

More Drumstick leaves recipes

📖 Recipe Card

Drumstick Leaves Onion Poriyal Recipe

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 334kcal

Author: Aarthi

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