(CRUNCHY) Murungai Keerai Vadai | Drumstick Leaves Vada at home!
Thinking of including Murungai Keerai in your food for kids?
Or are you bored with the usual medu vada or masala (paruppu) vada?
Or do you want to have a healthy evening snack that goes well with coconut chutney or sauce?
Murungai Keerai vadai is the answer.
It combines the crispiness of a paruppu vada and the rich nutrients of drumstick leaves.
Let’s get started right away!
What is Murungai Keerai Vadai or Drumstick Leaves Vada?
Murungai Keerai Vadai or drumstick leaves vada is a South Indian snack variety prepared using drumstick leaves (also known as moringa leaves) as the key ingredient. Along with these leaves we also add soaked chana dal/Bengal gram, fennel seeds, green chillies, ginger, garlic, chopped onions and salt to taste.
These healthy vadas or fritters are served as an evening tea-time snack. It is commonly referred to as Keerai vadai.
Also known as Nugge soppu vada (moringa leaves vada), these are traditionally deep-fried. For all those health freaks, you can cook these vadais in a paniyaram pan as it consumes only a few drops of oil.
Other Drumstick Leaves Recipes
Click the below link to know on how to prepare healthy green side dish (known as poriyal) for your lunch meals. (Always include murungai keerai spinach varieties in your diet for wholesome nutrients.)
2 Ways Murungai Keerai Poriyal (Drumstick Leaves Stir Fry)
Murungai Keerai Egg Poriyal (Drumstick Leaves Egg Stir Fry)
Video Recipe: How to Make Healthy Murungai Keerai Vadai/Moringa Leaves Vada
Why Murungai Keerai Vadai?
Usually, when we think of vada (a deep oil fried savory) – the medu vada and the masala vada, come to our mind. They are delicious on their own, but when combined with sambar and chutney, the food experience is taken to next level.
They are mouthwatering and irresistible!
These vadas are always kids favourites! So, in order to make them consume Murungai Keerai (rich in iron content), parents usually prepare vada with these drumstick leaves.
Because murungai keerai poriyal or koottu won’t taste that delicious, it’s usually prepared along with vada batter, for a crispy and tasty snack.
These moringa leaves vada (sahjan patte vada) can also be had along with coconut chutney, tomato sauce, etc.
So next time, when the kids refuse to eat murungai keerai related dishes, prepare these vadas and they will enjoy it!
New to Indian Cooking?
If you are a beginner or someone who is not sure on how to get started in Indian Cooking, please click on the below links for STEP By STEP GUIDE.
1. Essential Indian Cooking Tools – A Complete Guide for setting up basic Indian Equipment for cooking.
2. Essential Indian Spices – A Comprehensive Guide explaining the basics of Indian Spices which are Important for cooking Indian Foods.
3. How to Cook Rice Perfectly – Learn to Cook Indian Rice using 2 methods – Pot and Pressure Cooker
4. 6 Essential Indian Flours – Essential Guide to learn about most commonly used Indian Flours.
Step-by-Step Procedure to Prepare Murungai Keerai Vadai
Step 1: Cleaning the Drumstick Leaves
- Drumstick tree leaves or murungai keerai leaves are small and slender.
- They can be easily removed from the stalk similar to curry leaves.
- Remove/separate the leaves, wash it and drain out the water.
- DO NOT directly wash the leaves under the tap before separating from the stalk.
- Wash and keep aside.
Step 2: Rinsing & Soaking Dal
- Wash/Rinse the chana dal 2-3 times with water.
- Or rinse until the dust/dirt is removed/washed off.
- Soak the dal in sufficient water for 1-2 hours.
- The dal expands in size after soaking.
- Drain the water and keep aside.
Step 3: Grinding the Spices
- In a blender/mixer – add fennel seeds, green chillies, garlic and ginger.
- Grind it coarse and not smooth.
- You may add garlic along with its skin too.
- Also, you may adjust the green chilly quantity according to your spice level.
Step 4: Adding Soaked Dal
- Drain the water from the soaked dal and add it to the coarsely blend spices.
- Grind it slightly smooth not completely.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Step 5: Adding Drumstick Leaves
- Add the washed drumstick leaves/moringa leaves/nugge soppu to the blend dal and spice mix.
- Add the required salt and combine well.
- Form a thick dough.
Step 6: Making Vadai/Vada
- Take small portions of vadai dough.
- Gently flatten it tightly.
Step 7a: Frying the Murungai Keerai Vadai
- Heat oil in a kadai/pan – Drop the flattened vada dough into the hot oil.
- Fry in medium flame.
- Flip & Fry occasionally.
- Fry until golden brown. Do NOT burn it.
NOTE: In case, the vadai breaks after dropping into the hot oil, then make sure to add 2-3 tsp of gram dal powder/besan/kadalai maavu and mix the dough tightly.
Step 7b: Frying the Murungai Keerai Pakodas
- Take small bite-size dough.
- Tightly press and make random shapes of dough.
- Drop it into hot oil and fry golden.
- Flip and fry golden.
Step 8: Serve Hot with Coconut Chutney or Tomato Ketchup
Recipe Card: How to Make Murungai Keerai Poriyal/Moringa Leaves Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 cup Gram Dal
- Water - to soak
- 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 2 Green Chillies
- 5-6 Garlic Cloves
- 1 inch Ginger
- 1 Onion - finely chopped
- 3/4 cup Drumstick Leaves
- 1 tsp Salt
- Oil to fry
Instructions
- Wash/Rinse chana dal 2-3 times and then soak it in water for 1-2 hours.
- In a blender - add fennel seeds, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Grind it coarse.
- Add the soaked dal to the coarsely ground spices.
- Grind it slightly smooth.
- Transfer the contents to a bowl.
- Add moringa leaves/drumstick leaves to the dal along with required salt.
- Mix the dough well.
- Take small portions and flatten it between your palms tightly.
- Make sure the flattened dough is intact and not breaking off.
- Heat oil in a kadai.
- Drop the flattened vada into the oil and deep fry until it is fried golden on both sides.
- Crispy vada is ready to be served with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.
- You may also make small pakodas by taking small portions of the same dough between your fingers.
- Gently tighten it and drop it into oil and deep fry until golden.
- Crispy pakodas/pakoras are ready to be served with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.
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