Herbs & foods20 min
Moringa (sahjan): cooking the leaves, pods and flowers for everyday nutrition
The drumstick tree growing in so many Indian backyards is a nutrition powerhouse. Its leaves are rich in iron, calcium, vitamin A and protein, and its pods are a favourite in sambar. The best way to benefit is simply to cook it as food, regularly.
The Ayurvedic view
Shigru, as Ayurveda calls moringa, is described as pungent and heating, good for kapha and vata, and useful for swelling, sluggish digestion and worms. South and East Indian kitchens have always used every part of it — drumsticks in sambar, flowers in stir-fries, leaves in dal and thoran. Today moringa is sold worldwide as a ‘superfood’ powder, but fresh leaves from a tree you know are cheaper and just as good.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh moringa leaves, stripped from the stalks
- ½ cup moong or toor dal, cooked
- 1 teaspoon ghee or oil, jeera, 2 garlic cloves, a pinch of hing, turmeric and salt
- Or: 2–3 drumsticks, cut into finger lengths, for sambar
How to prepare
- Moringa dal: heat ghee, add jeera, hing and crushed garlic, then the washed leaves. Stir for 2–3 minutes until wilted, add turmeric, salt and the cooked dal, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Or make a dry sabzi (thoran/poriyal) with the leaves, grated coconut and mustard seeds.
How to use
- Eat moringa leaves or drumsticks 2–3 times a week as part of meals.
- If using powder, start with ½ teaspoon stirred into dal, soup or chilla batter, not raw by the spoonful.
Helpful habits
- Squeeze lemon on moringa dishes to improve iron absorption.
- Pick tender leaves; wash thoroughly, as the tree often attracts caterpillars.
Precautions
- Moringa as food is safe for most people. Pregnant women should eat only normal food amounts and avoid the root, bark and concentrated supplements.
- Moringa may lower blood sugar and blood pressure — if you take medicines for diabetes, BP or thyroid, discuss supplement doses with your doctor.
- Start small; large amounts can cause loose stools.
