Moringa Leaves Dal (Drumstick Leaves Dal)

Moringa leaves or drumstick leaves (Maskasangi Pallo) is the new health food craze. Drumstick is the humble vegetable that is a must-have, at least once a week, on the menu in most Konkani homes or for that matter, any South Indian home. The leaves were not used in cooking in my home but I use them very regularly now. This moringa leaves dal is one of our favorites.
Moringa is full of iron and anti-oxidants. It is supposed to have so many other health benefits too. Many people take it in the form of powder or even pills. But we love to add it to different dishes.
This Moringa leaves dal is full of flavor and very easy to make. We usually buy these leaves every time we see these. The dal goes so well with rice and ghee, with a simple spicy sidedish.
We also make rotti out of these leaves.

Moringa Leaves Dal (Drumstick leaves dal)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Moringa leaves
- 1 cup toor dal
- A pinch turmeric
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 green chillies
- 1 tspn thick tamarind extract
- salt
Seasoning
- 1 tspn mustard seeds
- 1 tspn chana dal
- 1 tspn urad dal
- 1 tspn cumin seeds
- 6 curry leaves
- 2 red chillies
Instructions
- Remove the little stems of the moringa leaves and separate out the leaves.
- Wash the leaves and chop into small pieces.
- Wash toor dal and pressure cook with moringa leaves, garlic, finely chopped green chillies, turmeric, 2 cups of water for about 3 whistles.
- Open the cooker when all the pressure has gone and slightly mash the contents with the back of spoon.
- Add a little more water to the dal micture, add tamarind, salt and bring to boil. Switch off heat.
- For the seasoning, heat oil, add chana dal, let it fry for a min.
- Then add urad dal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, broken red chillies, curry leaves. Fry for a min.
- Pour the seasoning on the dal and close the lid.
- Serve hot with rice and dollop of ghee.