Murungaikai (Drumstick) Sambar

The year 1983 will forever go down in history as the year when the humble drumstick (murungai or moringa) became a superfood phenomenon across the globe.  Let us look into the details on what caused this colossal transformation.

Before 1983: 10 drumsticks costed 1 Indian rupee

After 1983: 1 drumstick costed 10 Indian rupees.  Even in the US, a pound (less than half a kilo) of drumsticks became 4 times more expensive than a gallon of gasoline!

Whoa!

It wasn’t that the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) or the World Food Program (WFP) wings’ ingenious campaigns highlighting the numerous health benefits of the murungai plant that spurred the interest and the price globally.  So, WHAT really happened?

Well, “Munthanai Mudichu” happened!

Mundhanai Mudichu (translated to “Saree Knot”) is a 1983 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film written, directed and acted by K. Bhagyaraj (considered to be the greatest script writer in Indian cinema). He stars as the male lead Vathiyar (or teacher), and Urvashi (what a fantastic actress she is, can you believe that was her first film?) acts as Parimala, a simple kindhearted village girl.  Urvashi falls in love with Bhagyaraj who is a widower with a young baby, and out of concern for him and the baby marries him by falsely accusing him of molesting her. Bhagyaraj turns cold feet towards Urvashi’s love and affection and shuns her for the very reason she conned him and also swore over his baby and got him married by force against his will. After being very frustrated with Bhagyaraj for not being loving (and intimate) with her, Urvashi (acting on a tip) tries hard to win him in unconventional means and one night, she almost succeeded in her intentions by cooking him an entire dinner comprising of drumstick sambar, drumstick kootu, drumstick porial, drumstick leaves porial and drumstick flower fry (a link to that movie clip is at the bottom of this blog).

Thanks to that scene (and Bhagyaraj), the world came to know that drumstick is an aphrodisiac (a food that stimulates sexual desire).  India is the largest producer of drumsticks with an annual production of 1.2 million tonnes and maybe that explains its huge population! But drumsticks (and other parts of the moringa tree) have far more benefits than being an aphrodisiac.

Murungai (or Moringa oleifera) is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree of the family Moringaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of South Asia.  Common names include moringa, drumstick tree (from the long, slender, triangular seed-pods), horseradish tree (from the taste of the roots, which resembles horseradish), and ben oil tree or benzolive tree (from the oil which is derived from the seeds).

Moringa is widely cultivated for its young seed pods (drumsticks) and leaves but other parts of the tree have wide usage too:

• Immature seed pods, called “drumsticks”: Commonly consumed as a vegetable. Rich in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, magnesium, and manganese.
• Leaves: The most nutritious part of the plant, cooked and eaten as spinach, or dried and used as powder/ supplement.  Rich in B vitamins, vitamin C, beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin K, manganese, iron, calcium, potassium, protein and antioxidants such as quercetin and chlorogenic acid.  Dishes made with the leaves are useful in treating mouth ulcers. Increases breast milk production in lactating mothers.
• Flowers: Dishes made with moringa flowers are nutritious as well as very tasty. Fresh flowers are collected and allowed to soak in honey for a week or so and are used in treating persistent cough.
• Mature seeds: Eaten like peas or roasted like nuts. Contain high levels of vitamin C and moderate amounts of B vitamins and dietary minerals.
• Oil pressed from seeds: Called ben oil, used as food supplement, as a base for cosmetics for hair and the skin.
• Bark: Even the bark has immense medicinal value and its decoction is used in treating worm infestation. It is also used to treat hemorrhoids.
• Roots: Tastes like horseradish. The roots are shredded and used as a condiment with sharp flavor qualities deriving from significant content of polyphenols.

For people who deal with diabetes and high blood sugar, regular consumption of moringa leaves, roots and seeds can also help to significantly lower your blood sugar levels. Certain studies have also shown that moringa leaves and seedpods can help to regulate hormonal imbalances and help to slow the aging process. A cup of moringa tea each morning, can help you stay eternally young, or at least keep you looking younger for longer.  At the same time, moringa can be consumed as a natural medicine supplement for everything from reducing swelling to boosting the immune system.

In developing countries, moringa has the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development, and support sustainable land care.  It may be used as forage for livestock. The moringa tree is not affected by any serious diseases and is grown in many home gardens.  I have one in the US but as it is not freeze resistant, I lose it every winter but it grows back again.

I learnt many awesome dishes with drumsticks, leaves and the flowers from my mom and dad. My dad has planted so many moringa trees all around our home in Thanjavur and we have organic and super tasting drumsticks and leaves available throughout the year. The aroma of murungaikai sambar (recipe shared below) with ghee and spicy potato fry is to die for and thus far is my best comfort food ever. My wife and son are big fans of spicy drumstick fry. We also throw in drumsticks into mutton, chicken, shrimp and dry fish curries too.  I also love the murungai leaves sambar, especially with dosas.

Coming back to the Mundhanai Mudichu movie topic again. For non-Tamil speaking friends, Mundhanai Mudichu was remade in Telugu as Moodu Mullu (1983) and dubbed in the same language as Vaadante Pelli. The Hindi remake Masterji was released in 1985, and the Kannada remake Halli Meshtru in 1992.

And, I ponder over this question. Do you think that if Urvasi had known that beetroot is also an aphrodisiac (as described here), and had she also made Beetroot Halwa to top off that dinner, it would have been a done deal?

If you want to watch that famous murungaikai dinner scene (4 mins clip) from the Mundhanai Mudichu movie (sorry, it is in Tamil but you do not need language to appreciate this), please click here.

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Murungaikai (Drumstick) Sambar

Drumsticks are the most popular (number 1) sambar vegetable, and who is here to disagree? Make and enjoy this awesome drumstick sambar with a spicy potato fry!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Dal, Drumstick, Drumstick Sambar, Moringa, Murungai, Murungaikai, Sambar

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Senthil Sadasivam

Ingredients

• 3 Drumsticks 3 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp Sambar powder Sambar powder substitute given below
• Tamarind juice to taste

To pressure cook dal

• 1 cup Tool dal
• 1 Tomato
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Hing powder
• 1 tsp Sesame oil

For tadka

• 1/2 tbsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tbsp Methi seeds
• 1 Green chili sliced
• 1/2 tbsp Jeera seeds
• 1 Red chili
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 cup Onion (or shallots) sliced
• 1 cup Tomatoes chopped

Sambar powder substitute

• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp Coriander powder

To garnish

• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

1. Wash and cut drumsticks to around 3 inch long pieces.

2. Wash and pressure cook dal for three whistles with 1 tomato, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp each turmeric powder, hing powder and sesame oil with three cups water.  Mash the dal and keep it separate.
3. On a big pot, heat oil and add mustard seeds.  When they splutter, add methi seeds and let them brown slightly.  Quickly add jeera seeds, and after few seconds, add 1 red chili and fry for some time.  Add curry leaves, then sliced onion and green chili and fry well.

4. Add enough water, cut drumsticks, 2 tbsp. sambar powder, salt and mix well and cover and cook for about 10 mins.

5. Add mashed dal to the pot, mix well, adjust salt level and cover and cook for another 10 mins or until the vegetable pieces are soft and tender.

6. Add tamarind juice and let it cook for another couple mins.

7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and enjoy with hot rice, homemade ghee, a spicy side dish fry (Potato, Plantain or Suran) and a papad!

Recipe Notes

• Few other combinations are also very popular in the Thanjavur/ Kumbakonam region:
  • Drumstick and Eggplant Sambar
  • Drumstick, Eggplant & Mango Sambar
  • Drumstick, Eggplant, Mango and Jack fruit seeds Sambar