Tomato – Drumstick Curry

A simple yet delicious curry that I always liked carrying in my lunch box during school days was tomato cooked in combination with drumsticks (munagakaya/mulakkada). The tart flavor of the tomato when cooked with onions, garlic and drumsticks together only leaves you craving for more once you taste it. For egg lovers add hard boiled eggs to it to enhance the taste of the curry. The best part! It only has minimal ingredients making it easier for a quick fix. So, the next time you are lazy, don’t tempt yourself for a take-out. Try this and you’ll learn how quick and tasty the curry is. Here’s how….

Ingredients:

2 drumsticks/munaga kaaya – scrape of the skin, cut into 2 “pieces. (Cook in boiling water for 5 mts, discard water and set aside)

1 large onion – finely chopped

2 tomatoes – finely chopped

2 tbsps cooking oil

3-4 garlic – roughly crushed

½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera/jeelakarra

10-12 fresh curry leaves

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

Salt to taste

How To:

• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a vessel and fry the drumsticks for 2-3 mts on medium flame. Set aside.
• In the same vessel, add and heat remaining oil. On medium flame add crushed garlic and curry leaves. Toss them for about half a minute till the flavor comes out. Now add in cumin seeds and let it splutter.
• Add chopped onions, drumstick pieces, salt and turmeric powder and fry on medium flame till the onions turn soft. (about 8 mts).
• Add chopped tomatoes, chilli powder, combine, cover and cook them for 4-5 mts till the tomatoes turn soft and the juices run out.
• Uncover, reduce heat and cook for 5 mts  or till the desired consistency, before turning off the flame.
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or rotis.