Mondays are becoming fun days, with the Foodie Monday BlogHop. Yes, there is the tension of planning for the weeks theme. First of all selecting a dish that fits both the theme as well as the blog. And then getting the ingredients together. Researching for the post and developing the framework of the recipe. Going into cooking mode, shifting into photographer mode and finally, writer mode. The end result makes up for all this, though. My choice for this Monday was a very tasty, easy, nutritious Drumstick Corn Carrot Soup. To my delight, I was able to lay my hands on moringa pods (drumsticks), moringa leaves and moringa blossoms!
This is the second in my series of posts on Using Moringa in easy Recipes
The theme for the 183rd Foodie Monday Blog Hop is 'Indian Superfoods'. It was food blogger Vidya Narayan's turn to suggest themes. She stipulated the superfoods we could choose from. Turmeric, Moringa, or Makhana (Lotus seeds/ fox nuts). However for me there was hardly a question of options. I had no time to go to the grocery store this week. Even if I had, I doubt that I would have got fresh raw turmeric. Makhana did not call out to me, at least not for the moment. Hence, Moringa it was going to be. (For an idea of the nutritional and medicinal values of the Moringa, refer this article in healthline.com)
The gardener at my apartment block was, luckily for me, busy loping off the top branches of the lone Drumstick tree in our gardens. It took just minutes to get from him a bunch of moringa leaves. There were already two thick drumstick pods in the fridge, earmarked for my favorite murungakka sambar. The two were duly sacrificed at the altar of the Blog, and formed the heart of the Drumstick Corn Carrot Soup.
The bunch of moringa leaves I got from the gardener's bounty had these adorable flowers attached. Just a few, but they were enough for a garnish for the soup, after a brief saute in hot ghee. There were the red 'Delhi' Carrots and some frozen corn, too, in the fridge. Happy to be clearing out some part of the veggie tray, I added them to my ingredients for the drumstick corn carrot Soup.
For the stock, I used a stock cube as I didn't have any homemade stock on hand. Need to make a fresh batch this week! And it won't hurt that I have celery growing in my balcony garden. My little garden has become a virtual Kamadhenu, it keeps giving me fresh produce to plan recipes with.
Vidya Narayan from the Foodie Monday group, whom I've mentioned above, blogs at MasalaChilli. As the name indicates, Vidya loves hot spicy food. I think you will really like her blog. I do, and my some of my favourites are the Ghoda masala, her recent post, and her Air Fryer Purple Yam Chips! Do drop by her site and check them out for yourself.
This post has been sent to the event: 183 Foodie Monday Blog Hop with the Theme: Indian Superfoods
Other recipes posts you may like on this blog:
Easy Moringa Leaves Morekuzhambu or Yogurt Stew
Avocado Methi (Fenugreek Leaves) Salad
Avocado Fenugreek (methi) leaves salad with Pomegranate dressing
Drumstick Corn Carrot Soup with Moringa Pods & Leaves
Ingredients
For Preparing Drumsticks for Soup
- 2 pods Drumstick Pods (Moringa) - Sliced into pieces of 2" each
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 pinch salt
For Drumstick Corn Carrot Soup
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Jeera Cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Kalonji Nigella Seeds
- 1 cup carrot - Peeled, sliced into thin 1" sticks
- 2 cups corn - Fresh Grated or Frozen
- ¼ teaspoon Haldi/ Turmeric Powder
- ½ teaspoon Madras curry powder or cayenne powder - optional, if you want a bit of spice
- 2 cups vegetable stock - or chicken stock or water if stock is not available
- ½ cup Drumstick seeds - Cooked, from List above
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt - or, to taste
- ¼ cup moringa (drumstick) leaves - shredded
For Garnish
- 1 teaspoon Moringa Flowers - fresh or dry, if available
- 1 teaspoon moringa (drumstick) leaves - shredded
- 1 teaspoon ghee - or Clarified Butter, or Olive Oil for a vegan version
Instructions
Preparing Drumstick Pods for Soup
- Slice drumsticks into lengths of 2" each Heat 1.5 cups of water in a pan an add the sliced drumsticks and a pinch of salt. Bring to a good boil and then simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain, retaining the water in which the drumsticks were boiled. We will use this water in the soup. Keep the drumsticks in a bowl and allow to cook for a few minutes
- Slice each piece of drumstick vertically so that the insides are visible. Using a steel spoon or a knife, scoop out the seeds and flesh and collect it in a bowl. Discard the thick fibrous outer covering of the pod.
Making Drumstick Carrot Corn Soup
- Peel and slice the carrots into sticks of about 1" length and ¼" width. Uniform slicing will help the vegetables cook uniformly too. If using fresh corn on the cob, remove the outer husks and threads and grate the corn into a bowl. Shred the moringa leaves, if using. Heat the stock and keep on a low simmer till required.
- Set a pan on the stove and heat the olive oil. Add cumin and saute on medium heat for 5 seconds. Add nigella seeds. Saute for 10 seconds or till the cumin and nigella crackle Add sliced carrots, stir well. Add corn. Add turmeric powder. Stir and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add stock including the water in which the drumsticks were boiled, totally 3 cups. Brink to a brisk boil (it should boil all over) Add the scooped out drumstick seeds. Keep on boil for 30 seconds. Reduce the heat and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
- Take the pan off the heat and transfer the soup to another vessel, to cool. Remember that hot soup if pureed in the processor, will expand and splash out. Once cool, use a blender or processor and blend/puree coarsely. You may have to do this in batches as you have about 3.5 cups of soup here.
- Pour the puree back into the pan. Bring to a boil. Add shredded moringa leaves. Stir and remove from the heat
Garnish
- I had these beautiful little fresh moringa flowers. I heated a small pan, added a teaspoon full of ghee. Fried the flowers after removing the stems and calyx. You may remove the pistils too, but the flowers were very small and I could barely see the pistils, so I let them be. Garnished the soup before we ate, with fried flowers and a few shredded moringa leaves. This is a warm and filling soup.
I love both Moringa leaves as well as its flowers... Using both of these in a soup is tempting me to keep in my to-do list...... Such a comfortable bowl !!!
Thank you Sasmita! Im hoping to get a larger quantity of the moringa flowers and try them in the soup again, as I had earlier just had a few that I took for the garnish
Love the detailed elemnts and use of the pods the flowers and some leaves of moringa in the recip. The comfort of carrots with the nutrients of the superfood is so comforting
Thank you Seema! The carrots gave more fiber to the soup as well as added to the flavour!
This bowl of soup is loaded with so many healthy ingredients. Thanks for the detailed explanation. Addition of moringa pods and madras curry powder is something new for me. Never seen Moringa pods here. This bowl of soup is so nutritious and filling.
Thank you, Preethi! We are lucky in India to get the drumstick pods for a large part of the year. The Madras Curry powder is a ready made spice usually added to most soups to give a touch of spice.
I will prepare this soup soon sujata without the pods and flowers though. I am not able to find it here. You have mentioned about the madras curry powder, do you have a recipe for that? Looks amazing
Thank you, Veena. You don't get drumstick pods in your city? Im surprised at that. When. I lived in Chennai they were very easily available for a large part of the year. Madras curry powder is actually a ready made spice, used in the West more commonly than in India. I will see if I can find a recipe!
This wholesome bowl of comfort and nutritious is so inviting. I am just loving the color of the soup!! so vibrant that it tickles the taste buds even before tasting it!! liked the tempering of the moringa flowers in ghee to garnish the soup.I use drumsticks in sambar(my daughter loves it) and also read a lot about the benefits of the moringa leaves but didn't knew that flowers too are used in cooking.
Swati, Ive used moringa flowers for the first time, and while researching this recipe, saw that it is used in a wide range of recipes. Curries, stir fried, and a very tasty healthy tea too!
A very detailed recipe especially on how to scoop the pods. Would be pretty useful to refer for first timers who want to experiment with this Superfood. I personally loved the nigella seeds, madras curry powder addition and then there are all my other favourites like carrots, corn too for company. Hearty and a meal by itself is what I would call this soup for sure. PS - Your kitchen garden is definitely a kamadhenu!
Thank you Vidya! My kitchen garden is specially bountiful now, before the heat hits us in a few days! I find madras curry powder adds just that right touch of spice and mild heat to pumpkin and carrot soups
Sujata you have me drooling. I pass my neighbour's laden tree everyday but not once did I think of this amazing soup. She will be more than happy about the way I have used the drumsticks. Now, that I have read this delicious soup that can be made I cannot wait to go to her garden. Thanks a million this will be best soup we have had.
How nice to hear that you have easy access to a moringa tree too!Thank you for your appreciation. This soup is both nutritious and tasty. And quite filling too! I hope you like it when you make it!
I have used only drumstick pods in cooking till date as never got hold of Moringa leaves and flowers here. Loved this wholesome soup which uses all the edible parts of Moringa. With added carrots, corns and vegetable stock it is no less than a meal. Bookmarking the recipe .
Thank you for the nice words,Poonam! Ive been using the moringa pods only in sambar or in a curry so far, and it is the first time that I tried it out in a soup. The result was delicious, I must say!
What a comforting bowl of healthy and wholesome soup. I've got all the main ingredients just opposite the apartment, so pretty soon this soup is going to be dinner. However, don't have access to the leaves or flowers, but am sure can use something for garnishing.
Thanks for the nice words about the moringa corn carrot soup, Mayuri. Im glad that you can get the moringa pods at least! For garnishing, I would suggest any small edible flowers, or some oil such as basil oil. Or tiny bits of a broccoli floret.
superfoods in a super duper avatar, akka ! this soup is so perfect for supper as well as enriched with so many nutrients from the moringa plant, I am sure would be a great food for kids as well !
Thanks so much for the appreciation, Kalyani. It is a nourishing soup, and tasty too, so kids should love it. They may not like the flower garnish though, most kids don't like bits of leaves and flowers in their food!
Moringa soup sounds delicious. Another super healthy recipe from you. Earlier drumstick flower is very common dish in our house in this season. But this year didn't get any. We make a stir fry with drumstick flowers potato and green peas. Your soup recipe is so innovative. Bookmaking it to try when I can get some. Carrot kalonji cumin and ghee fried flowers definitely made it flavourful and mouthwatering.
Thank you, Sujata Roy. Your stir fry with drumstick flowers, potato and green peas sounds both interesting and tasty. If I get flowers of a sufficient quantity, will try it out too!
Sure and you can also get some recipes with poppy seeds on net.
The soup looks so hearty and flavourful! I love that you have used moringa flowers, leaves and pods to make it. So healthy!
Thank you Priya! I was lucky to get all three in time to make this soup!