Indian Moringa Leaf Curry with Moong Dal and Cumin

This moringa leaf curry with moong dal and cumin stands out due to its special but very healthy ingredients. The spiciness can be easily adjusted.

Horseradish tree: The leaves of the horseradish tree ( Moringa oleifera) are also called moringa leaves. In India in particular, both moringa leaves and the fruits known as drumsticks are used in various dishes. Since the leaves in particular contain a lot of calcium, beta-carotene, potassium and iron compared to other plants, moringa trees are among the most nutrient-rich plants on earth. For this reason, they are also used in many developing countries to combat widespread malnutrition.

Moong Dal: In Indian, the term Dal refers to both dried and peeled pulses, as well as soup dishes made from them. Moong Dal is peeled, halved mung beans, also known as Mung Dal or Mung Daal, which are pulses. The green mung bean, which comes from India, is about the size of a pea and has an elongated oval shape. The mung bean has a relatively high protein content, which is considered valuable due to its high lysine content. Because it has no shell, Moong Dal absorbs the taste of spices particularly well.

Cumin: Due to the similar name, there is often confusion between cumin and caraway. They are not closely related and also differ greatly in taste. Cumin is often used in Indian, Turkish and Greek cuisine.

Turmeric: Turmeric, also known as yellow ginger or turmeric root, comes from South Asia and belongs to the ginger family. Fresh turmeric has a resinous, slightly burning taste; dried, as is often used in India, it tastes milder and slightly bitter. Turmeric is best stored in a dark place and not for too long, as otherwise the color and aroma will be lost.

Mustard seeds: The mustard oil glycosides contained in the mustard seeds give this recipe a distinctive taste. Brown mustard seeds, which are a little hotter and more aromatic than the yellow seeds, contain, among other things, the mustard oil glycoside Sinigrin. White mustard, on the other hand, has sinalbin in this place. Both ingredients are responsible for the appetite-stimulating and digestive effects.

Simply adjust the spiciness: If the spiciness of the Moringa leaves is too strong for you, either reduce the amount of leaves or increase the amount of Moong Dal.

Skip soaking: Soaking the peeled moong dal is not mandatory. If you skip this step, you will have to increase the cooking time accordingly.

Black lentils: In India, halved black lentils, known as Urad Split Dal, are also used for this dish. These are fried at the same time as the chili as a spice. However, it hardly makes any difference in taste, so you can just as easily leave it out.

Suitable dishes: The moringa leaf curry is suitable as a warm side dish to Indian dishes, such as peas in coconut curry with mustard seeds and cumin or the apple and lentil dal with turmeric and cumin.