Sajana Phula Bara (Drumstick flower fritters)

Another easy recipe with drumstick flowers !! This one is in the form of a snack and takes minimal effort. Given the fact that it is loaded with nutrients, your guests will be more than happy at being served a plateful of good health.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 cups (packed lightly) drumstick flowers
• 1 large potato (boiled, peeled & mashed)
• 1 medium sized onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 2 pinch garam masala
• a pinch of turmeric
• 2 tsp coriander leaves (chopped)
• 1-2 green chili (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp besan (gram flour)
• 4-5 tsp cooking oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash and clean the drumstick flowers. Be careful to retain only the fresh flowers and buds.

Cooking - Heat 3 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the flowers and fry for 2 mins .

Add the mashed potato along with chili powder, garam masala, salt and turmeric. Fry for 3 mins.

Finally add the green chili and coriander leaves, mix in and remove from flame.

Allow to cool down till it is bearable to touch. Pinch small portions and shape into flattened discs.

Make a thin batter of the besan. Season it with a little salt and chili powder. Lightly brush the discs with the batter. (one can also roll them with some bread crumbs to get a crispy outer layer)

Heat a non-stick tawa. Sprinkle a few drops of oil. Place the discs on the hot tawa and cook on both sides till there is a little browning.

Remove from tawa and serve hot with ketchup.

Sajana Sagaa Kharada (Drumstick leaves Curry)

Drumstick leaves or 'sajana sagaa' as we call it in Odisha happens to be one of my favorite greens. Make into a simple stir fry or cook it with dal and veggies, it tastes awesome. While it has a slightly bitter taste but the aroma is sure to make one hungry. Drumstick leaves and flowers are of great value as sources of carotene, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C. According to Ayurvedic texts, these leaves have the potential to cure almost 300 types of ailments. With 90 nutrients and 46 antioxidants, these small leaves literally pack a punch. They are usually given as a tonic to young children, pregnant women and lactating mothers to keep them healthy.

I had been missing it for a long time since I never see it being sold in the local vegetable shops/stores in Bangalore. That's why I was overjoyed to find a thelawala selling the greens near my building. I quickly purchased a bundle at rupees 10.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 25 mins

Ingredients -

• 5 cups of drumstick leaves
• 1/2 cup diced pumpkin
• 1/2 cup diced potato
• few cubes of raw banana
• 1 medium sized onion (chopped into thin long slices)
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 1/4 cup lightly roasted moong dal/yellow lentil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1-2 dry red chillis
• 3 tsp oil
• 2 pinch turmeric
• salt to taste
• 7-8 fried boris for garnishing

Preparation - Pluck the drumstick leaves from the stem while carefully checking for any insects/eggs.
Wash thoroughly under running water. Keep aside for the water to drain

Cooking - Transfer the lentils along with pumpkin, potato, raw banana, salt and turmeric to a pressure cooker. Add 2/3 cup water and cook for 1 whistle on medium flame. Keep aside for steam to escape.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the mustard seeds and broken red chilis followed by the onions. Fry till onion turns translucent.

Add the drumstick leaves and stir fry on medium high for 4 mins. Now add the contents of the wok, mix together and allow to cook for another 5-6 mins. Check if the greens are cooked else cook for 2-3 mins more.

Add the crushed garlic and the crushed bori. Remove from flame.

Serve hot with white rice and dal.

Note - In Western Odisha, a similar dish is prepared but without the veggies and the badi.

Drumstick kadhi ( Sajana Chuein kanji )

There used to be a patch of 'Khada Saga' (Amaranth) growing in our vegetable garden during my childhood days. They are perennial plants and one can harvest and eat the leaves and tender stems throughout the year. Once cut, the leaves and stems grow back in a fortnight. But during the summer months, the foliage reduces, the plants shoot up in height and start flowering. It is now time to cut and remove the main stems called 'Khada'. These make a wonderful 'kanjee', a lightly flavoured sour soup and an appetizing raee with badi and saru (colocasia).

Since i havn't been able to source and khada outside Orissa, i turned to using drumsticks for this kanjee. Though the taste is quite different, i quite enjoyed this new recipe.

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients - 2-3 drumsticks ( chopped in 2" or 3" pieces ), 1/2 cup sour yogurt, 1 tsp besan, 1-2 red chilli, 1 sprig curry leaf, 1/3 tsp mustard seeds, 2 tsp oil, salt to taste, pinch of asafoetida, pinch of turmeric.

Preparation - Lightly beat the yogurt. Add besan and salt and dilute with 1 1/2 cup water.

Cooking - Boil the drumstick with a little salt and turmeric till tender. Drain all the water and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the broken red chilli and mustard seeds followed by the curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the boiled drumstick and fry for 30 seconds.

Reduce the flame and add the besan-yogurt mixture slowly while stirring continuously. Stir for 2-3 minutes and bring to boil. Allow to simmer for 3 minutes.

Serve hot with white rice.

Note - one can also add a touch of mustard garlic paste to the kanjee/kadhi. It gives a wonderful flavor.

Muga dali dai kakharu saaga ( pumpkin leaves preparation )

Cooking Time Required : 20-25 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Pumpkin leaves and tender stems (250 gms), drumstick leaves ( optional, a fistful ), moong dal ( 1 cup), red chillis ( 2-3 nos ), pancha phutana ( 1/3 tsp), garlic pods ( 3-4 nos), oil ( 2-3 tsp), salt.

Cooking: Dry roast the moong dal till it gives off its distinctive smell . Transfer to a pressure cooker and add 1.5 cups water along with a bit of salt. Allow to cook for 5 mins or till the dal is 3/4th cooked. It should not become mashy. Drain excess water and keep aside.

Heat a wok. Add the oil. When it starts smoking, add the pancha phutana and red chillis. Crush and add the garlic pods. Fry till the garlic pods turn golden.

Add the finely chopped pumpkin leaves and stem and stir for 10 minutes. Add the drumstick leaves along with the cooked moong dal and salt, and allow to cook till any excess water evaporates.

Note- Keep stirring and separating the leaves so that they do not get bunched up during the cooking.