Instant Pot Drumstick | Moringa Vegetable Curry

Murungai Is Commonly Known As  Moringa, Drumstick , Murungakkai. Drumstick | Moringa Vegetable Curry Is A Simple, And Very Flavorful Dry Curry. Made With The Slender Fruit , Commonly Know As Drumsticks , 100% Healthy. They Are Prepared As A Culinary Vegetable, Cut Into Shorter Lengths, Tempered , Sautéed With Spice Powders , Onions, Tomatoes, And Stewed In Curry. The Curry Is Made With Instant Pot In 20 Minutes ( Includes Preparation And Cooking Time). Serve As A Sides With Rice , Roti Or Any Kuzhambu / Sambar. (Instructions To Cook On Stove Top Method Is Also Given).

Good To Know About Moringa / Drumstick

In todays recipe, we’re using mineral – rich green fruit pods for making the dry curry. The seeds, removed from the pods contain high levels of vitamin C and, B vitamins, and dietary minerals. Moringa trees have been used to combat malnutrition, especially among infants and nursing mothers. There are numerous health benefits from eating Drumstick. It is best to include it in you’re food / diet, than eating it as a capsules.

The taste is described as reminiscent of asparagus , with a hint of green beans, though sweeter, from the immature seeds contained inside. Because the outer skin is tough and fibrous, drumsticks are often chewed to extract the juices and nutrients, with the remaining fibrous material discarded. Other different method of eating it is , sucking out the flesh, and tender seeds and discarding the tube of skin.

When the vegetable is tempered, and stir fried with onions – tomatoes, and cooked with spices , it gives a great flavor to the pods / flesh inside. Truly because of its health benefits , I make sure to include it in my food routine.

Turmeric – A tablespoon of ground turmeric offers nearly a gram of protein, 2 grams of fiber and 6 grams of carbohydrates. Turmeric also contains magical nutrients – to keep you strong and healthy.

Fresh Curry Leaves – More than acting as a flavorful herb in Asian cooking, curry leaves have a number of health benefits. In fact, they’re commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine, a type of holistic medicine practice that began in India over 3,000 years ago.  Curry leaves are rich with antioxidants, which can help prevent you from getting sick, and which can help lessen the amount of time you stay sick. Other studies suggest that curry leaves can help your body fight genetic mutation, which has been linked to chronic illnesses including cancer.

Fresh Or Frozen Drumsticks?

Drumsticks is seasonal , so using fresh or frozen during non season is okay. I usually buy fresh Murungakkai / Drumsticks from Indian store in usa, during the season ,  wash them , cut them into smaller pieces , and I put them into small sized Ziplocs, and freeze them. When using it , I directly dump them into the cooking. This way it is still fresh without any preservatives. I try using the fresh – frozen drumsticks within two to three months. In this recipe too, I have used fresh – frozen drumsticks only.

If using it immediately within a day or two , then store the freshly cut drumstick in zip lock or airtight container in the refrigerator. You could also find fresh drumsticks from the farmers market ( Asian Veggie section) during summer in usa.

Note – Frozen drumstick vegetable pack from the Indian Store can also be used in this recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this drumstick dry curry as a sides with rice , roti or any kuzhambu , sambar , rasam rice.

Curries which goes well with this poriyal / vegetable,

• Ennai Kathirikai Kuzhambu
• Roasted Okra In Spiced Yogurt Sauce

Other Vegetables Which Can Be Included With Drumstick 

Purple / light purple colored Brinjals cut into lengthwise , potatoes cut into small cubes , can be added with drumstick to make this dry curry. If adding extra vegetable other than drumstick, then make sure to increase the amount of salt , and other spices to your preferred taste. But rest everything follow the same recipe (even the pressure cooking time remains the same).

If Cooking The Curry On the Stove Top?

All the ingredients measurements on this recipe will remain the same , except the water quantity.  For 500 grams of drumsticks , water quantity for the stove method is 270 ML. Temper first in the a pan , sauté onions and tomatoes , add drumsticks , spices , salt and water, stir , and cover the pan with lid, cook in medium -low flame for 10 to 15 minutes , stirring in-between ( if you’re making as dry curry , then last two to three minutes do not cover the pan for the water to evaporate completely ).

Storing Any Leftovers

Store them in the refrigerator in a air tight box , and use them in two to three days. Reheat it in the microwave covered with a lid to prevent the curry from getting dry.

Other Indian Recipe  Healthy Poriyal / Dry Curry, complete tips on jackfruit seeds with stepwise instructions and pictures given,

• Palakottai Pepper Fry | Jackfruit Seeds Recipe

Check out my other Instant Pot Recipes ,

• Instant Pot Spaghetti And Soy Protein Meatballs
• Instant Pot Butter Chicken Recipe
• Easy Instant Pot Pav Bhaji
• Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Vegetable Kurma

Step By Step Pictures Of How To Make The Drumstick Curry

Wash, and Cut the long sized drumsticks into Two Inch pieces , Finely Chop the onions , chop the tomatoes , sambar powder, Kashmiri chili powder , turmeric, salt, water, mustard seeds , urad dal , fresh curry leaves , and oil for tempering.

Temper And Sauté

I used Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 8 Qtrs for cooking. Place the inner vessel into the Instant Pot. Press SAUTE mode on HIGH power. In CUSTOM settings, SET Timer to TEN minutes. Now Press START. Once it is ready and preheating is done. Add oil, followed by mustard seeds, when it starts to splutter, add urad dal, and curry leaves, sauté for a minute. Now add the chopped onions , sauté for ONE minute , add chopped drumsticks and sauté again for ONE more minute.

Add tomatoes now , and just stir to mix with other ingredients. Followed by all the spice powder – sambar powder , turmeric , Kashmiri chili powder , salt, and water.

Add given amount of water, and give it a quick stir to mix ( make sure there is nothing sticking to the bottom of the pot). Press CANCEL .

Pressure Cooking

Close the LID of the Instant Pot . Press the PRESSURE COOK mode on HIGH power, and SET CUSTOM TIMER to FOUR minutes. SEAL the Pressure Valve. Switch off the KEEP WARM MODE ( light should not be on in the keep warm mode). Now press START. After the pressure cooking is done. Press CANCEL . Then do QPR (quick pressure release) by moving quick release switch from SEAL TO VENT.

Sauté For Two Minutes

After the steam is released, open the lid, (mixture / curry will be SEMI GRAVY at this stage, if you want it like this , then do not sauté again, just garnish with fresh chopped cilantro leaves , stir nicely and remove/serve ). For Dry Curry, Press SAUTE mode on HIGH power. In CUSTOM settings, SET Timer to TWO minutes. Now Press START, Stir the curry well , let it cook for two minutes , (keep stirring , as the curry thickens , it may get burnt at the bottom ) water will evaporate , and it will become dry curry / poriyal consistency. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Press CANCEL . Serve as a side with roti , rice or with any curry / Kuzhambu / sambar rice.