Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Drumstick Coconut Curry

When we moved to the US and started our lives here, going to the grocery store was a chore restricted to the weekends. At first I did not have a car for myself nor a driver's license. So, the grocery store was a weekend outing. I loved the huge stores with aisles and aisles of food, I loved the idea of semi homemade and I fell in love with margarine, heat-n-eat soups and felt a strange sense of belonging to the modern world, since now I had an access to 'modern food'  (yes, sadly I have been guilty of that). Did not realize that it will not take me long to yearn for fresh, local foods and miss my vegetable vendor back home in India. I still remember before coming to the States,  my aunt had told me that my life will change for the good, forever....I will no longer have to have hours in the kitchen - "you get ready pasta sauce, ready pasta, ready-to-eat soup...". Well no comment on ready to eat meals, but I do see myself more in the fresh produce aisle, farmers markets and my love affair with margarine was short-lived. I do spend hours 'laboring' in the kitchen, cause that is just who I am and I'm glad it is no other way.  Well going back to drumsticks - since visits to the grocery store was limited to the weekends for us back then,  I would stock up on frozen vegetables, for days when I would run out of fresh ones. Never been allured by drumsticks. I don't know how, over the years, I have come to really like drumsticks, and, to tell you the truth, enjoy them.

Drumsticks stir up some precious memories. Two decades ago, when we lived in Lucknow,  India we had a drumstick tree in our yard and had fresh drumsticks when ever it was harvested. Lucknow has  given me great friends and great memories.  I could not have imagined then, that some day opening a pack of frozen drumstick, my heart would yearn for fresh drumsticks and life gone by. Twenty years ago, what was a mundane regular life has become a part of my memories that I will cherish for years. Well, as they say life is a full circle - most times we do not value what we have, till it is taken away from us. Wonder what my bag of memories will hold twenty years from now...




1 cup coconut 
1 medium size onion
1 green chili 
2 tbsp dalia/roasted split gram 
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
small ball of gud/jaggery
salt to taste

Spice blend
2 tbsp urad daal/horse bean
2 tbsp chana daal/gram daal
2 tbsp corriander seeds
1 clove
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 red chili
1 tsp sesame seeds

Tempering
1 tbsp ghee/clarified butter 
1 tsp mustard seed
1/4 tsp asafetida 

 Tempering is when whole or ground spice are heated in oil or ghee,  so they release their flavors and then it is added as a garnish to a dish. Tempering is done either at the start of the cooking process like in cumin rice, or at the end like in this dish. 

 Roast the spice blend, mix it with the remaining ingredients and grind it into a fine paste. Consistency like chutney.


Cook the drumsticks in salt and a pinch of sugar or jaggery/gud.  Add the chutney paste and a cup of water, bring to boil. Lower the heat, close and lid, let  the drum stick absorb the flavors for about 10 min. 

Heat ghee, add mustard let it crackle, add the asafetida. Sizzle the hot ghee on the curry. Enjoy with some cumin/jeera rice. 
For those not familiar with dalia/roasted split gram....here is how it looks. (above)  It is light and crunchy and can be had as a snack too. If for some reason you cannot find this, you can substitute with chana daal/ gram and roast it on low flame till it is richer in color. You can also use besan/ gram powder.

I could not help but share the glorious sunset from last week, I wish I could capture my emotions too...for that one moment when the sky was fired up at its full glory.....everything seemed perfect and the world seemed so beautiful n pure and I felt so grateful to be part of this creation. I did not want that moment to pass....! 



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25 comments:

  1. Simi

    A lovely article which made me feel nostalgic too. Really nice recipe too. We get fresh drumsticks here which I buy in bulk and freeze. I tend to use the frozen ones in dalls and rasam.

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    Replies
    1. Would you please share how you freeze drumsticks? I don't like the ones we get in the Indian store...very fibrous..and would love to be able to freeze my own.
      Thanks in advance

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    2. Could you please share how you freeze fresh drumsticks?
      The frozen ones we get at the Indian store are not appetizing at all!
      Would love to freeze some myself.

      Delete
  2. Lovely post, everybody feels like this at some point, very interesting gravy with drumsticks..

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  3. lovely recipe...nice clicks....sunset is rally amazg

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  4. I miss fresh drumstick too, I had one tree who dies every year during winter, so hardly get any drumsticks. This year I got few I kept for seeds.
    This curry looks delicious, my hubby hate frozen one so he won't buy it.

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  5. Lovely post!!! I have a drumstick tree close by but I hardly ever eat drumstick except when I am making avial. I will try you recipe soon. Bookmarking it :)

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  6. Looks so tempting... Yum yum yum

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  7. Beautiful curry...will be super tasty with steamed rice & papas...hmmm :-)

    Helen
    http://myworldmyhome2012.blogspot.in

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  8. Curry looks wonderful. Excellent clicks.
    Deepa

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  9. Love this curry...Have'nt had this in a very very long time...Nice clicks Simi :)

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  10. What a lovely post Simi, don't we always get attracted to 'new' or 'latest' like latest music system, new sauces and dressing, new cooking pots n pan with new colours n styles. But I long for homemade sauces, curries, the age old iron skillets and pans .. sigh am rambling right :) just could relate to it!
    We too had a drumstick tree in our apartment back home, and want to enjoy fresh ones as long as I can :)) The curry looks great!!

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  11. Lovely post, feel the same.. Curry looks delicious.. Nice clicks..

    Spill the Spices

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  12. so tempting reminds me of my mum! she does it similar way
    http://great-secret-of-life.blogspot.com

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  13. Catchy and flavourful curry, rice and this curry can have it everyday.

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  14. The drumstick curry looks so delicious. And the image of the glorious sunset is splendid & spectacular.

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  15. Hi Simi. How lucky you were to once have a drumstick tree in your garden. I only ever put drumsticks in Gujarati kadhi or in Sambhar so it's great to have another recipe that uses them. I adore anything with coconut so for me, this is absoloutely perfect. I look forward to making it.

    Also love your blue board!

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  16. Lovely Post. Nice recipe too.love it..
    Maha

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  17. Lovely post.. Curry looks Delicious..

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  18. Lovely post..Curry looks delicious..
    http://foody-buddy.blogspot.com/

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  19. Lovely curry. Will definitely try.

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  20. Great post. Curry looks appetizing..will definitely try.

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Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to browse. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. Hope you enjoy your stay :))

hugs!
simi

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