Drumstick stir fry or Gravy/ Nugge kai palya

Drumstick pods are vegetables rich in vitamins & minerals. The tender pods with seeds enhance the taste of the dish with its very own flavour. Drumstick leaves are very special when compared to other leaves & herbs as they contain good amount of protein and they are best sources of important minerals like calcium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc & more…
Normally drumstick pods are used in making curry or sambhar. I was trying various dishes with these as we have a bumper harvest this time. This post is all about drumstick palya in gravy. You can make it dry or with little fluid gravy, however you like.

Nugge kai palya

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Drumstick pods (matured with tender seeds) – 6-8
Onion – 1
Tomato – 1
Tamarind – about ½ tsp piece
Jaggery – 1 tbsp, adjust as you like
Grated coconut – ¼ cup
Peanuts/ ground nuts – 2 tbsp
Gram dal – 2 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp
Dry red chillis – 2
Toil – 2 tbsp
Salt – 1 tsp/ to taste
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Method:
  • Clean, wash and cut drumstick pods into 2 inch long pieces.
  • Cook cut drumstick (until tender) adding little water (about ¼ cup), salt, jaggery and turmeric powder.
  • Peel, wash and cut onions into thin slices or chop it. Keep aside.
  • Wash tomato & chop roughly.
  • Fry peanuts with few drops of oil until they turn dark brown and you get nice roasted aroma. Transfer to the mixer jar.
  • Fry urad dal (black gram lentil), Gram dal and red chillis with with ¼ tsp oil until dals turn brown. Do this on medium flame & avoid burning. Add this too to the same jar having peanuts.
  • Add grated coconut, tamarind and chopped tomato to the mixer jar. Grind to smooth paste.
  • Now, heat a pan or wok. Add oil mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Allow spluttering.
  • Add curry leaves and onions. Fry until onions turn translucent.
  • Add ground paste and sauté a few minutes until raw smell goes off.
  • Add cooked drumsticks to the masala. Add salt if required. Add water to adjust the thickness of the gravy.  If you like dry palya, do not add water.
  • Mix & boil everything well.
  • Serve with steamed hot rice & ghee.
Drumstick stir fry

*Notes: 

Keep monitoring your health if you are consuming drumstick on regular basis. It may have adverse health effects such as stomach upset if consumed in larger quantities (leaves, pods, flower) especially in kids!
It is believed to have heat property on body & few chemicals cause negative symptoms.

Comments