Moringa Besan Cheela / Chilla (Drumstick Leaves & Gram Flour Pancakes)

 

           Here are some delicious and nutritious Cheelas / Pancakes / crepes made out of drumstick leaves and gram flour. I have also added few basic ingredients and seasonings to make them more healthy and nutritious. They can be served with chutney, pickle, raita or any side dish. Besides breakfast, they can also be had for lunch / dinner or as a lunch box meal.

          Drumsticks leaves have amazing health benefits as it contains vitamins, calcium, protein, iron and minerals. It also contains anti-oxidants, boosts our immune system, fights inflammation and lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. 

          It is a plant based protein that is particularly good for the elderly and during pregnancy as it aids in digestion and lowers blood sugar levels. So this dish is a healthy snack on the go and very wholesome. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these amazing cheelas.

 

• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• 1/4 cup semolina
• 1 cup Drumstick Leaves, roughly chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, grated
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. carom seeds
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• water as needed
• oil to shallow fry

          In a large bowl, add all the ingredients (except oil) and mix well. Add water, little at at time and prepare a batter of pouring consistency, just like a dosa batter. Cover and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

          Heat a tawa and brush with some oil. Now pour 1-2 ladleful of the batter and spread into a circle with the back of the ladle. Drizzle some oil around the edges and over the cheela.

          Cook on one side for 2 minutes or till done before flipping it over. Cook the other side too. Transfer to a serving plate. 

          Prepare similar cheelas with the remaining batter and relish with any side dish, chutney, yoghurt or pickles. 

                In a large bowl, add the gram flour, semolina, 

                      all the dry spices, 

              chopped onion, tomatoes, grated ginger, chopped green chilies,

                 chopped moringa leaves, coriander leaves and yoghurt.

Add water, little at at time & prepare a batter of pouring consistency, just like a dosa batter. Cover & keep aside for 15-20 minutes.

Heat a tawa & brush with some oil. Pour 1-2 ladleful of the batter & spread into a circle with the back of the ladle. Drizzle some oil around the edges & over the cheela.

Cook on one side for 2 minutes or till done before flipping it over. Cook the other side too. 

Now it is done. Transfer to a serving plate. Prepare similar cheelas with the remaining batter. 

           Relish with any side dish, chutney, yoghurt or pickles. 

Sojne Pata Bata / Bhorta (Moringa Leaves Chutney - Bong style)

 

          Check out this dish indigenous to Bengal, the recipe of which is slowly fading away from cookbooks. 'Sojne Pata Bata' or Bengali style Moringa / Drumstick Leaves chutney is a traditional dish and has its roots in the very heart and soul of Bengali cuisine. In fact, it has been an integral part of Bengali cuisine for generations. 

          Less common these days, it is mostly sourced only in the interiors of West Bengal and Bangladesh. This is almost a lost and a forgotten recipe and is a far cry from any restaurant style food. It is an extremely easy, simple and a quick recipe that consists of all the flavors infused in it. It is best relished with hot steamed rice. Do give this dish a try by following an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this traditional rustic fare. 

          

            Moringa leaves is a good source of vitamins, minerals, calcium, protein and iron. It also contains anti-oxidants, boosts our immune system, fights inflammation, lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. 

          This dish is prepared by sautéing together onion, garlic, green chilies and moringa leaves. It is then ground into a paste. I stir fried it again in some oil with a tempering of nigella seeds.  

          To get a pungent kick out of this bata, a tsp. of raw mustard oil is added to the end product. This is mostly consumed as a side dish with hot steamed rice. 

           In Bangladesh, this dish is popularly know as 'Bhorta' and is prepared in many ways. In fact, each household has it's own recipe.

          The present generation is not much aware of this recipe. So to revive a lost culinary art, I though I'd give it a try. It is probably my Bengali instincts talking, but in the end this dish was out of this world. 

• 3 cups moringa / drumstick leaves, washed & drained well
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 5-6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1-2 green chilies
• 3-4 dry red chilies
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds

           Heat a pan and stir fry the drained moringa leaves till all the moisture has evaporated. Keep it aside. 

           Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the garlic, onion and green chilies till light brown. 

          Add the sautéed greens and salt. Cover and cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. Keep aside to cool.

          Grind to a fine paste by adding very little water. It should not be runny. 

          Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a pan and fry the dry red chilies. Keep aside. When cool, crush them. 

          Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the ground paste. Sauté till dry. 

          When done, switch off the flame and add the crushed red chilies. Give it a mix and transfer to a serving bowl. 

          Drizzle remaining mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

                              Heat a pan & stir fry the moringa leaves till dry. Keep it aside. 

                   Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & fry garlic, onion & green chilies till light brown. 

                   Add sautéed greens & salt. Cover & cook on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.

                   Keep aside to cool.

                                     Grind to a fine paste by adding very little water. 

                     Heat 2 tbsp. oil & fry the dry red chilies. Keep aside. When cool, crush them. 

                              Temper the same oil with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds.

 

                                   Add the ground paste. Sauté till dry. 

                              When done, switch off the flame & add the crushed red chilies. 

                              Drizzle remaining mustard oil and enjoy with hot steamed rice. 

Moringa Leaves Dal

 

          This is a delicious dal (lentil curry) prepared with Drumstick / Moringa leaves and pigeon pea lentil or tuvar dal. Made it both spicy and tangy. However, it can be adjusted accordingly.   

           Moringa leaves has amazing health benefits. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, calcium, protein and iron. It also contains anti-oxidants, boosts our immune system, fights inflammation and lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. 

          So enjoy this healthy dal with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this wholesome delicacy.

• 1/2 cup tuvar dal (pigeon Pea lentil), soaked in water for 30 minutes 
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups of moringa leaves, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies. 
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1" ginger, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste

Tempering--

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 whole dry red chilies, broken
• 2-3 garlic cloves, sliced

          Pressure cook the soaked lentils with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilies, moringa leaves and turmeric powder with 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. 

          Add the tamarind water, red chili powder and salt. Mash well and bring it to a boil. Simmer on a medium flame for 5-10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, garlic, curry leaves and dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Pour this tempering over the prepared dal and serve with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti.

                       Pressure cook the soaked lentils with onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green

                       chilies, moringa leaves & turmeric powder with 1 & 1/2 cups water for

                       4-5 whistles. 

                                  Add tamarind water, red chili powder & salt. 

                      Mash well & bring it to a boil. Simmer on a medium flame for 5-10 min. 

                      Transfer to a serving dish.

                      Heat oil & temper with cumin seeds, mustard seeds, garlic, curry leaves

                     & dry red chilies. Sauté for a few seconds.

                                  Pour this tempering over the prepared dal. 

                       Serve with steamed rice, plain Biryani, jeera rice, naan or tandoori roti.

Moringa Leaves Thepla (Drumstick Leaves Flat Bread)

 

          Check out this healthy and nutritious Thepla (Flat bread) recipe made of Moringa / Drumstick leaves. This is my version of the traditional Gujarati style Methi Nu Thepla. It is an appropriate accompaniment when travelling and is also a perfect lunch box meal. You can also relish it for breakfast or as a snack with some pickle, yoghurt and some green chilies if preferred. So do give it a try by following the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this sumptuous regional recipe.

  

          Theplas are generally flat bread made with a combination of whole wheat flour and gram flour. It is kneaded with some chopped greens and an assortment of spices, which is then shallow fried to perfection. 

          Moringa leaves has amazing health benefits. It is a good source of vitamins, minerals, calcium, protein and iron. It also contains anti-oxidants, boosts our immune system, fights inflammation and lowers blood sugar and cholesterol.

          So get going and dish out these amazing theplas for a nice comfort breakfast or snack. They can be prepared in bulk and frozen for later use. 

• 1 cup wheat flour (atta)
• 1/4 cup gram flour (besan)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. ginger-green chilies paste
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 2 tbsp. olive oil for kneading 
• 1 cup Moringa / Drumstick leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut (opt)
• oil for shallow frying

          In a bowl knead together all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil for frying) into a tight dough with required quantity of water. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

          Knead again for 1-2 minutes and divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each portion into a thin chapatti by dusting some flour and stack them one over the other.

          Heat a tawa / griddle and fry the Theplas, one at a time, on both sides with a drizzle of some oil over it and around the edges. Serve hot with pickle or plain yoghurt.

                     Knead together all the mentioned ingredients (except oil for frying) into a

                     tight dough with required quantity of water. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

                         Knead again for 1-2 minutes & divide the dough into equal portions. 

                   Roll out each portion into a thin chapatti by dusting some flour and stack 

                   them one over the other.

                   

                    Heat a tawa & fry the Theplas, one at a time, on both sides with a drizzle 

                    of some oil over it and around the edges.

                                 Serve hot with pickle or plain yoghurt.