Happiness manifests in many simple ways throughout our lives. Going out into the garden to pluck a few handfuls of murungaipoo (moringa blossoms) and bringing it into the kitchen to cook a delicious dish that is ready in under half an hour, is one such simple joy. Those of you familiar with the ‘farm to table concept’ will understand the immense joy that comes from nourishing the family with simple nutritious meals, comprising of fresh local produce.
Happiness manifests in many simple ways throughout our lives. Going out into the garden to pluck a few handfuls of murungaipoo (moringa blossoms) and bringing it into the kitchen to cook a delicious dish that is ready in under half an hour, is one such simple joy. Those of you familiar with the ‘farm to table concept’ will understand the immense joy that comes from nourishing the family with simple nutritious meals, comprising of fresh local produce.
I shudder in helplessness when I spot heaps of moringa tablets and powders neatly labeled and nudging for attention in our very own supermarket shelves. Chances are that not very far from that glass walled store, there would be a healthy moringa tree languishing for attention!
Have we gotten so busy that instead of appreciating fresh produce, in this case growing in wild abandon everywhere in our city, we choose instead to pay hard-earned money to buy a packaged product which cannot in any way compare to eating it in the green form?
Pay attention to seasons, folks! We are not meant to eat the drumstick as a vegetable throughout the year. It has specific times of the year when it does grow. There is also a period when the branches must be trimmed, the leaves shed and rest before they begin sprouting anew. This is when we need to leave the murungai maram alone and eat other seasonal foods.
With these supplements invading the food chain,we will soon have no idea of that which is seasonal and that which isn’t. Naturally we will go to medical experts who will diagnose a deficiency or some other health problem and this is how food companies today are playing with consumer health.
At this time of the year, if we care to educate ourselves, is when we get to see the drumstick tree laden with flowers. The first lot of flowers are for consumption and the tree gathers nutrition to develop the subsequent blossoms into ‘fruit.’ So the nutrition that is contained in these flowers is different from those of the leaves or of the drumstick pod. These pale white and yellow flowers with the peachy orange stamens are loaded with amino acids, calcium and potassium. They are also rich in nectar which makes them a valuable asset to the ecological bio diversity of other living things.
Please ask yourselves, not just why we have forgotten all this but more importantly why we are not passing on to our children the food habits which we were taught?
Is it too much to instil nutrition from a very young age because we don’t want to spend time arguing with our children owing to an extremely tiring day. So, let them just fill their stomachs with anything just so that they do not fuss?
The problem isn’t what the kids will or will not eat, it is truly about what they are exposed to and what they see the rest of the family eating. It’s as simple as that. And if they’re not hungry, please refrain from giving them cake, bread, kurkure etc and a multitude of other foods that are simply not plant-based. When children are not given choices, they will learn to adapt and eat whatever food is available at home.
Coming back to this unique ingredient, the traditional recipe calls for it to be cooked with onions, green chillies, curry leaves, mustard seeds and finally the addition of eggs to finish the scrambling process. It adds a chewy delicious texture to an otherwise simple ‘muttai poriyal.’
The first time we cooked this at home, it was devoured instantaneously. However, in the interest of always finding a vegetarian option, we try and come up with other ways to pair up ingredients. Grated coconut not only made for a tasty vegetarian alternative to the egg but also adds the protein element to the vitamins and minerals prevalent in the murungai poo. Just like the eggs are added at the end, so too must the fresh coconut be added and tossed through, right at the very end.
My afternoon meal of (sona masuri) brown rice with tamarind rasam, homemade ghee and a side dish of murungai poo and egg poriyal was simply heavenly. I didn’t even miss my favourite ragi vadagam, thanks to this deeply satisfying wholesome lunch.
At the end of such a repast, not only does one feel nourished but is made aware of the balance of energy levels instead of feeling extreme lethargy. This “quick to rustle up healthy dish” can also be eaten with chapattis or added into fried rice. Whoever said a fried rice should only be about carrot, beans and capsicum! Try your hand at a ‘moringa blossom fried rice’ with ripe red chillies, spring onions, ginger and garlic … your palate will be sated.