Drumsticks leaves thorn and red amaranth mezhkkupuratti (subzi)

Cooking with Mom is a great experience. Especially when you patiently pluck, chop and cook from your backyard garden looked after by Dad.  My mom is a treasure trove of her own unique cooking style which we children admire. A very enterprising person and a great human. Its fun to be with her in kitchen where she is the absolute boss and we are her assistance!

Most of the vacations I am with her I try to explore old and loat recipes of our household. Dad will make few special requests as he is very fond of my cooking, which is more of continental! But I love to learn from Mom something which is almost not followed in many homes.

Morning I was in Dad's garden mending plants and I thought of plucking few tender arbi leaves, moringa leaves and our vegetable vendor brought red amaranth early in the morning while I was drawing rangoli patterns in our front yard.

Then it was washing, chopping, and chit chat over a cup of freshly brewed tea.

We have made thoran (subzi) which is a nutritious version of drumsticks leaves.

Moringa leaves thoran (drumsticks leaves subzi)

Ingredients

A handfuls of drumsticks leaves washed, removed from stem and chopped - 2 cups

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Grated coconut 2 tbsp

Green chillies 2 thinly sliced, I used mortar and pestle and crushed the chillies.

Salt as required

For tempering

Coconut oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Red chilli 1 broken into halves

Tips

Pluck fresh tender leaves from tree, or buy fresh and tender leaves

Wash and remove only leaves from the stem. Chop if necessary

Use mortar and pestle from crushing green chillies, it tastes great.

Method

In a heated kadai pour oil, add mustard and urad dal, let mustard splutter. Add red chillies, roast for it to realise its aroma. Add chopped moringa leaves, add turmeric and salt and cook in medium flame. Once its soft and tender add grated coconut, crushed green chillies mix well and off stove. Serve with rice.

Red amaranth mezhkkupuratti

Ingredients

Red amaranth leaves washed, chopped - 2 cups
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil 2 tsp
Mustard 1/2 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Green chillies finely chopped 2
Salt as required
Curry leaves a few

Tips

Wash red amaranth throughly it contains lot of sand. If you find more soil immerse it in a bucket of water for sometime. Then wash two to three times, and remove leaves and stem separately. Remove the thin outer skin from stem.

Method

In a heated kadai pour oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, once mustard splutter add red chilli. Now add chopped red amaranth and mix well, add turmeric and salt, mix in. Allow it to cook a 5 to 6 minutes. It cooks fast as the leaves contain water. Once its soft and tender add few curry leaves. Serve.