Murungai Keerai Kuzhambu, Drumstick Leaves Kuzhambu

Recipe for murungai keerai kuzhambu made with freshly ground masala paste. Excellent side dish for rice. Recipe with step by step pictures and video. அரைத்து வைத்த முருங்கை கீரை குழம்பு செய்வது எப்படி?

Drumstick leaves kuzhambu (kulambu) is a regular side dish for lunch in south Indian homes. Drumstick leaves is something we used to have at-least once a week. This was all before it became the “super food”. I have almost always been borderline anemic. So I try to have drumstick leaves as often as I can as its a power house of vitamins and minerals. This curry is so comforting along with the rice. Since drumstick leaves are a little bitter, I always add the salt at the end. It helps cut the bitterness a little. Here is how to do it.

Here is the video of Drumstick Leaves Kuzhambu

Drumstick leaves prep Murungai Ilai or moringa leaves needs a little prep work. Pull the leaves from the stem and set aside in a bowl. There might be small tiny stems still attached to the leaves and that is perfectly fine. Do not bother too much.

Almost always, the moringa leaves have a lot of sand and fine dust in them. Wash and soak the leaves in water for 10 minutes. Gently remove the leaves from the top. While cleaning any greens, leaves, do not strain. The sand and the fine debris gets settled in the bottom of the vessel after soaking. Gently remove the greens from the top making sure not to disturb the sediment at the bottom. We will be using about a cup of murungai leaves today for this recipe. Set aside.

Cook the dal Now we will cook the dal. cook half a cup of moong dal with 1.5 cups of water for 3 whistles. About 5 minutes on medium flame. Note: You can make this curry with toor dal also. It comes out nice. Its a good variation.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Let the pressure from the cooker settle naturally. We will be adding the cooked moong dal in the curry later.

Now we will make a masala paste Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add in the coriander seeds, black pepper, red chillies, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and curry leaves.

Fry for a minute. The roasted spices gives a very nice aroma and flavour to the curry. Make sure that the flame of the stove is medium when roasting spices. Roasting on a high flame will burn the spices.

Add in the chopped garlic and small onions. If you do not have small onions (Indian Shallots), you can substitute regular onions.

Saute for 2-3 minutes till the onions are soft. No need to brown the onions. Getting the onions soft and translucent is good.

Add in the turmeric powder and fresh shredded coconut.

Saute for two minutes. Do not fry the coconut for long. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Grind all the sauteed spices with half a cup of water to a smooth paste. Make sure that the ground paste is really smooth.

Making the kuzhambu Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the cleaned drumstick leaves and saute for two to three minutes. I have used Indian sesame oil (gingely oil) for making the curry today.

Add in the ground paste to the pan. Add half a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan. Let it simmer for a minute.

Add in the cooked dal and another half a cup of water. Mix well.

Add in the salt and let the curry simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Murungai keerai kuzhambu is ready. Serve hot with rice.

For cooking dal

• 1/2 cup moong dal
• 1.5 cups water

For the masala paste

• 1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 red chillies
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 10 small onions, chopped (shallots)
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup water

For the Kuzhambu

• 2 teaspoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 cup drumstick leaves (murungai keerai ilai)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Wash, clean and prep the drumstick leaves. Set aside.
2. Cook half a cup of moong dal with 1.5 cups of water for 3 whistles. About 5 minutes on medium flame. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Let the pressure from the cooker settle naturally.
3. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add in the coriander seeds, black pepper, red chillies, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and curry leaves. Fry for a minute. Add in the chopped garlic and small onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes till the onions are soft. Add in the turmeric powder and fresh shredded coconut. Saute for two minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Grind all the sauteed spices with half a cup of water to a smooth paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the cleaned drumstick leaves and saute for two to three minutes.
5. Add in the ground paste to the pan. Add half a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan. Let it simmer for a minute.
6. Add in the cooked dal and another half a cup of water.
7. Add in the salt and let the curry simmer for 5-7 minutes.
8. Murungai keerai kuzhambu is ready. Serve hot with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

For cooking dal

• 1/2 cup moong dal
• 1.5 cups water

For the masala paste

• 1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 red chillies
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 10 small onions, chopped (shallots)
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 cup fresh shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup water

For the Kuzhambu

• 2 teaspoon Indian sesame oil / gingely oil
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 cup drumstick leaves (murungai keerai ilai)
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Wash, clean and prep the drumstick leaves. Set aside.
2. Cook half a cup of moong dal with 1.5 cups of water for 3 whistles. About 5 minutes on medium flame. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Let the pressure from the cooker settle naturally.
3. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add in the coriander seeds, black pepper, red chillies, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and curry leaves. Fry for a minute. Add in the chopped garlic and small onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes till the onions are soft. Add in the turmeric powder and fresh shredded coconut. Saute for two minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Grind all the sauteed spices with half a cup of water to a smooth paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the cleaned drumstick leaves and saute for two to three minutes.
5. Add in the ground paste to the pan. Add half a cup of water to the empty mixie jar and wash off all the leftover masala paste and add it back to the pan. Let it simmer for a minute.
6. Add in the cooked dal and another half a cup of water.
7. Add in the salt and let the curry simmer for 5-7 minutes.
8. Murungai keerai kuzhambu is ready. Serve hot with rice.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Side
• Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/murungai-keerai-kuzhambu/

Mutton Stew – The perfect partner for idiyappam and appam . Its called as Ishtu, the local word for stew. This is a very mild gravy / curry flavored with a lot of ginger and coconut milk. Here is how to do simple Mutton stew. Here is the veg version of the recipe. Here is the recipe for chicken stew

I got this recipe from my friend Linish’s mom. Linish is one of the greatest foodie in my circle and he has been telling me for sometime as to how he relishes his mom’s mutton stew every time he visits home. In fact he posted the stew pics prepared by his mom a couple of times in social media and I just got hooked. For some reason or the other, the mutton stew project was getting delayed and finally got hold of it last week. When I spoke with Mohini auntie (Linish’s mom) on phone, she was so happy to share the recipe. We spoke for quite some time. She could not stop talking about her son the whole time. She told as to how all her physical pains and aches due to age just vanishes away when her son visits her. Food is love when shared with dear ones. This mutton stew is the real deal.

Here is the video of Mutton Stew the recipe with step by step instructions

Mutton Stew: Prep Work: Cook the mutton with 1.5 cups water along with pepper and salt in a pressure cooker for 8-10 whistles and wait for the pressure to release naturally. Mutton should be cooked well after this time. If the mutton is still tough, then cook for another 3 whistles. I like to cut the mutton into small pieces for this recipe. Boneless mutton also works very well for this recipe. Set aside

Cook the potatoes and tomatoes with half a cup water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Set aside.

We will also need to make coconut milk for this recipe. We will be using the first pressed and second pressed milk for this recipe. Here is detailed recipe of how to make coconut milk at home. I have used 3/4 cup coconut for making the coconut milk.

Making the Stew Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Very little of everything. The flavors of the spices are very mild in this recipe. Add in the ginger and curry leaves.

Add in the sliced onion. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft. Add in the green chillies, black pepper and the salt. The flavor of black pepper is predominant in this recipe. Saute for a few seconds. If you want a spicy stew, add few more green chillies. Note: Keep in mind that we boiled the mutton along with the salt. So add little salt at this stage and can adjust the seasoning later on.

Add in the cooked potato tomato mixture. Simmer for a minute. Note: Some people like their potatoes to be mashed while some people like to have potatoes visible in pieces. Its totally up to you. We at home like to have the potatoes in pieces. Some of the cooked potatoes will dissolve and add to the thickness of the gravy. If you like to mash the potatoes, mash half of the potatoes and leave the rest as is.

Add in the second pressed coconut milk.

Add in the cooked mutton along with the mutton water used for cooking. The water has a lot of flavour. Simmer for a minute.

Make a slurry with cornflour and water and add it to the pan. Cornflour slurry will make the stew thick. If you do not have corn flour at home, you can use maida or rice flour. I like to use corn flour as it makes the stew very silky. The stew will become thick immediately after adding the slurry. Finally add in the first pressed coconut milk. After adding the first pressed milk, do not simmer for long. Simmer for just a minute. Final Tempering: Heat ghee in a pan and add in the sliced small onions. Saute the small onions until golden. Add in the black pepper powder to the pan. Immediately add the tempering to the stew.

Mutton stew is ready. Serve Mutton Stew, Mutton Ishtu with idiyappam or appam .

Prepwork 1 – Cook the mutton

• 250 grams mutton (cut into small pieces)
• 1.5 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

Prepwork 2 – cook potatoes and tomatoes

• 2 potatoes, diced
• 2 country tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup water

Prepwork 3 –For homemade coconut milk

• 3/4 cup coconut
• 1.5 cups water + 1 cup water

For making the stew

• 3 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1 small piece cinnamon
• 1 cardamom
• 1 clove
• 1 inch piece ginger, minced
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 onion, sliced ( 1/3 cup )
• 3 green chillies, slit
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Corn starch slurry

• 2 teaspoon corn flour (corn starch)
• 1/4 cup water

Final Tempering

• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 5 small onions (Indian Shallots), sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder

Prep Work

1. Cook the mutton with 1.5 cups water along with pepper and salt in a pressure cooker for 8-10 whistles and wait for the pressure to release naturally. Set aside.
2. Cook the potatoes and tomatoes with half a cup water in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Set aside.
3. Prepare coconut milk – first pressed coconut milk and second pressed coconut milk. Set aside.
4. Here is the recipe for preparing coconut milk

Making the stew

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add in the cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Add in the ginger, curry leaves and sliced onion. Saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft.
2. Add in the green chillies, black pepper and the salt. Saute for a few seconds.
3. Add in the cooked potato tomato mixture. Simmer for a minute.
4. Add in the second pressed coconut milk.
5. Add in the cooked mutton along with the mutton water used for cooking.
6. Make a slurry with cornflour and water and add it to the pan.
7. Finally add in the first pressed coconut milk. Simmer for just a minute.

Final Tempering

1. Heat ghee in a pan and add in the sliced small onions. Saute the small onions until golden. Add in the black pepper powder to the pan. Immediately add the tempering to the stew.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: Kerala