Drumstick and Lentil Soup

My 146th recipe, "Drumstick and Lentil soup", another healthy homemade soup from my kitchen. For folks who are not aware, we are not talking about the chicken drumstick or the drumstick ice cream here. Drumstick (aka, Moringa oleifera) is a vegetable popular in South Asia. While the flowers and leaves of the tree are edible too, the more popular part of the tree is the immature seed pods, known as "murungai". It is extremely flavorful and healthy being rich in iron. It is a staple vegetable in South India and used in numerous gravies and curries. Every South Indian would possibly agree that the simple addition of drumstick to a gravy would send the flavor of the gravy over the moon. The one thing vegetarians generally miss out is the protein from the meat. The addition of moong dal in this soup takes care of that problem. It would provide you with more than enough protein you would need for the day. As always, being a easy to make homemade soup, this lentil soup scores high on the feel good factor too. Just what your family needs to stay hale and healthy 😉

Drumstick and Lentil Soup

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 13 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Jeera - ½ tsp
• Curry leaves - 6
• Onion -½ Medium Chopped
• Garlic - 4 cloves finely chopped
• Ginger - ½ inch piece finely chopped
• Whole Moong Dal - ⅓ Cup
• Drumstick - 10 pieces about 1 - 2 inches in length
• Salt - ½ tsp adjust per taste
• Freshly ground black pepper - ½ tsp adjust per taste
• Water - 3 Cups
• Coriander Powder - ½ tsp
• Tomato - ½ medium chopped

Instructions

 

• First heat the oil in the pan of a pressure cooker. Add the jeera, curry leaves and saute until the jeera starts turning golden brown. Add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger and saute until the onion turns translucent.
  
   
• Now add the moong dal and saute of 2 mins until a nice aroma arises.
  
   
• Add the drumstick and saute for a further 30 secs. Add the salt, pepper and give a quick mix.
  
   
• Add the water, coriander powder, chopped tomato and mix well. Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles or until the drumstick and lentils are cooked through. Wait until the pressure subsides and remove the lid of the pressure cooker.
  
   
  
   
• Enjoy warm.
   

Notes | FAQ

- Cooking time would depend on the stove settings. So adjust accordingly. For me it took 3 whistles and about 8 mins for the lentil and drumstick to be cooked through.
- Do not overcook the veggies. Better to check earlier and if not cooked, you can cook them for a few more minutes.
- If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can use a regular pan, however the cooking time would be more.
- Optionally, You can add in a handful of drumstick leaves while you add the drumstick, for extra flavor and nutrients.
- I used whole moong dal in the recipe. You can substitute it with any other lentil of your choice.

Sending this recipe to the First Blog Anniversary Celebration of Delectable Flavours.