Murungai keerai podi, drumstick leaves powder for rice

Murungai keerai podi (spiced) for rice, even good to go with idli dosa. Quick video, step by step pictures.

I bought Murungai keerai podi in a restaurant shop after stopping there for breakfast. It was so good and flavourful. I knew it had some tamarind in it and was thinking I could not make it at home. Thought making powder out of drumstick leaves will be complicated. But after me telling amma I bought the podi, she gave me pure murungai keerai powder she made herself at home.

Later I never tried it to make podi as I used it for regular dishes I make – sambar, kootu, adai. Even poriyal makes rare appearance. This time though I bought for making adai, I had some left, so was determined to make podi as my stock of all podi was also over. I made it adapting from my curry leaves rice recipe powder part.

Curry leaves thogayal recipe

Learn how to make karuvepillai thogayal, delicious without any raw green smell of curry leaves. Full video, stepwise pictures post.

Check out this recipe

How to dry drumstick leaves?

This is great to preserve the leaves as dry powder. Just clean and spread over a clean kitchen towel or a tray. It should be in a single layer. Cover it with cloth and dry under sun for 3 days. You can dry indoors too as such.
Also leaving it in fridge too lets it dry as it dehydrates the leaves.
Later just use in this recipe.

The greenish colour comes only if the drumstick leaves are ground fine. Initially it might not look green while grinding, but as you powder, it turns green.

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Murungai keerai podi (spiced) for rice,

Murungai keerai podi (spiced) for rice, even good to go with idli dosa. Quick video, step by step pictures.

Course Condiments

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Servings 120 ml cup

Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)

mixie or food processor

Cup measurements

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 cup to 2 cups Drumstick leaves
2 tbsp Chana dal
2 tbsp Urad dal
2 tbsp Coriander seeds
2 tsp Black pepper
2 tsp cumin seeds
6 Red chillies
1/8 tsp Asafoetida
2 tsp oil
Salt as needed

Instructions

First clean the drumstick leaves. Take out any insect bit leaves or yellow leaves.
Work in small bunches in batches than taking out each and every stalk. This will fasten the process.
Do it fast to separate the leaves and later you can hand pick any stalks fallen along.
Wash the leaves, drain water, spread over kitchen towel as single layer. Pat dry excess water.
Leave it as such for couple of hours to get rid of excess moisture.
Gather other ingredients needed.
Heat a pan with oil, Add red chillies, asafoetida, chana dal, urad dal, coriander leaves and black pepper.
Roast until the dals start to turn golden. Now add cumin seeds.
Just give it a roast without burning it. Remove in a plate for cooling.
Add drumstick leaves in a sprinkled manner. Wait for some 30 seconds.
Stir slightly without gathering it together. This is to make sure the leaves not getting burn. So slightly stir.
Again let it be in low or medium flame until it is dry without moisture. It should be crisp and light.
Powder everything together with salt. You can choose to powder salt red chilli, asafoetida and drumstick leaves first to a very fine powder.Then add rest of the ingredients. This way you will bring out the best greenish colour of podi.

Video

Notes

You can choose to powder salt red chilli, asafoetida and drumstick leaves first to a very fine powder.Then add rest of the ingredients. This way you will bring out the best greenish colour of podi.

Murungai keerai podi Method:

First clean the drumstick leaves. Take out any insect bit leaves or yellow leaves.
Work in small bunches in batches than taking out each and every stalk. This will fasten the process.
Do it fast to separate the leaves and later you can hand pick any stalks fallen along.
Wash the leaves, drain water, spread over kitchen towel as single layer. Pat dry excess water.
Leave it as such for couple of hours to get rid of excess moisture.
Gather other ingredients needed.
Heat a pan with oil, Add red chillies, asafoetida, chana dal, urad dal, coriander leaves and black pepper.
Roast until the dals start to turn golden. Now add cumin seeds.
Just give it a roast without burning it. Remove in a plate for cooling.
Add drumstick leaves in a sprinkled manner. Wait for some 30 seconds.
Stir slightly without gathering it together. This is to make sure the leaves not getting burn. So slightly stir.
Again let it be in low or medium flame until it is dry without moisture. It should be crisp and light.
Powder everything together with salt. You can choose to powder salt red chilli, asafoetida and drumstick leaves first to a very fine powder.
Then add rest of the ingredients. This way you will bring out the best greenish colour of podi.

Store in airtight containers and used withing 15 days. Can double shelf life if stored in fridge. Enjoy by mixing it with steamed rice, a generous drizzle of ghee or sesame oil. Tastes great with idli too.