Sometimes, it is the dishes that I make most often that get left off the blog because I am so focused on the something new and different. One such recipe is this recipe for Murungai Keerai Adai (Paruppu Adai with Moringa Leaves).
Murungai Keerai Adai
I have the recipe for the healthy, protein-rich Paruppu Adai on the blog but have never written about this variant which ups the nutrition ante with the addition of the Moringa leaves.
Moringa leaves are the leaves of the drumstick tree. While these leaves have suddenly become the flavour-of-the-year for their miraculous properties, they have been used in food (and other ways) in South India for centuries.
Murungai Keerai | Moringa Leaves | Drumstick Leaves
In fact, both the pods and the leaves of the drumstick tree are extremely nutritious and are commonly used in South India and Maharashtra. Do try my recipes for Shevgyachya Shenganche Pithla | Drumstick Pithla, and Andhra Drumstick Curry | Mulakkada Kura.
Coming back to Paruppu Adai with Moringa Leaves, this is a traditional dosa recipe from Tamil Nadu. Paruppu Adai is a dosa made with many lentils (dals) and this makes it protein-rich. Adding Moringa leaves to Paruppu Adai makes it both more nutritious and delicious. It also changes the flavour profile a bit and that is a welcome change.
Paruppu Adai with Moringa Leaves
How to Make Murungai Keerai Adai | Paruppu Adai with Moringa Leaves
Paruppu Adai with Moringa Leaves | Murungai Keerai Adai
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Rice
- 1/4 Cup Tuvar Dal, Split Pigeon Pea
- 1/4 Cup Chana Dal, Split Bengal Gram
- 2 tbsp Moong Dal, Green Gram
- 1 Cup Moringa Leaves
- 1 tsp Asafoetida, Hing
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Optional
- 3-4 Red Chillies
- Salt to Taste
- Oil for Making Dosa
Instructions
- Mix together the rice and the dals.
- Wash and soak in 2-3 cups water for at least 6 hours.
- Drain the water.
- Grind the soaked rice-dal mix with the red chillies, asafoetida, turmeric, and salt to a thick batter. Add water as required. Adai batter should be thick such that it slides off the ladle.
- In a kadai or wok, over low flame, heat about 1 tsp oil.
- Add the moringa leaves and stir-fry till they soften a bit.
- Add the moringa leaves to the Adai batter and set the batter aside for about 10 minutes.
- Over medium flame, heat a tava or a griddle.
- Add a few drops of oil and grease the surface well.
- Add a ladle of batter in the centre of the pan and spread quickly to form a circle using the back of the ladle.
- Drizzle a few drops of oil at the edges of the Adai. Let the Adai cook for about 2 minutes.
- Using a spatula, loosen the edges of the adai and systematically work your way to the centre.
- Lift the edges of the adai and check if the side touching the tava is golden brown.
- Flip the adai over and let it cook for a minute.
- Serve the Paruppu Adai with Moringa Leaves hot with some homemade butter and jaggery.
Recipe for Murungai Keerai Adai | Paruppu Adai with Moringa Leaves with Step-by-Step Instructions
- Making the Adai Maavu (Batter)
- Mix the rice and dals together.
- Wash them well under running water and soak in 2 to 3 cups of water for at least 6 hours.
- After the rice+dal mix has been soaking for 6 hours, drain all the water.
- Add the dal+rice mix to a large grinder jar along with salt, turmeric, red chillies, and asafoetida.
- Add a little water. I added about 1/4 cup.
- Grind the soaked rice-dal mix into a coarse thick paste.
- Transfer into a bowl.
- In a kadai/wok, over medium flame, heat 1 tsp oil and add the Moringa leaves.
- Stir-fry till they soften and shrink a bit.
- Add the Moringa leaves to the Paruppu Adai batter.
- Mix well.
- Making the Paruppu Adai with Moringa Leaves
- Over medium flame, heat a tava or a griddle.
- Add a few drops of oil and grease the surface. I would recommend this even for non-stick tavas.
- Lower the flame. I do this to ensure the tava does not get too hot. If it is too hot, the batter will stick and cannot be spread easily.
- Pour a ladle of batter into the centre of the tava and spread outwards to form a thick dosa. I would recommend using a heavy ladle as it helps spread the dosa batter evenly.
- Now increase the flame and let the adai cook. You can drizzle a few drops of oil along the edges of the adai, if required.
- Cook the adai till the surface dries out. Turn the tava, if required, to ensure even cooking.
- Using a spatula, loosen the edges of the adai and lift a bit to check that the side touching the tava is golden brown. If not, cook further.
- Using the spatula, loosen the entire adai, starting from the edges and going towards the middle.
- Flip the adai over and drizzle a few drops of oil along the edges.
- Let the adai cook for about a minute or so.
- Serve hot with jaggery and fresh white butter.
- Repeat the steps to make the rest of the adai.
Murungai Keerai Adai with Jaggery
Love adai dosa. And you made it healthy by adding drumstick leaves. Superb share.
Healthy adai.. We rarely find these greens in Mumbai.
I am from Mumbai, Shobha-ji. 🙂 Easily available in Matunga-Dadar-Mahim.
Lovely healthy and yummy recipe of adai dosas with drumsticks leaves, awsome share.
Excellent addition of drumstick leaves to a nutritious adai makes its more interesting and delicious to enjoy this dish without any hesitation. Love this sort of dish.
WoW dosas made with drumsticks leaves..sounds so healthy and yummy recipe, beautiful share
Adai itself is a healthy breakfast.. adding morning leaves to it is more healthier and flavorful..this looks delicious
Murungu Ellai has been my childhood fav Aruna. I add this to everything from dals to dosas to adai to podis and enjoy it. Thankfully we have been eating this since our childhood and people are only realising its importance recently and calling it as a superfood. Adai and Vellam – Seals the deal for me too!
Thanks for the easy to follow step by step instructions! The rice and lentil pancakes are nutrient rich and perfect for healthy breakfast.
Love this variation of adai; I love moringa leaves and use them a lot. Adai with these is next on my list; thanks for the awesome share 🙂
Tempting to the core ! This is my most favourite one.. I love drumstick leaves in any form and loved your recipe.
Adair is my favorite breakfast! Addition of drumsticks leaves even sounds better. Love to try this soon:)
Lovely way to use drumstick leaves….Totally protein rich healthy adai!!….Delicious share 🙂
Thank you!
I love adai, such a healthy and delicious dish one can have, addition of these green leaves makes this dish even tastier.
Thank you!
Such a healthy and delicious adai. It looks similar to what we call chilla. Addition of greens makes it even healthier
Wow I ma yet to make adai and here you are posting unique recipe with moringa leaves.
Thanks, Sapana. It is delicious AND nutritious!
Oh wow, murungai elai was a favorite. we make the same recipe… just a small diffrerence, my mom spreads the fresh leaves on one side than sauteing them. drooling
I will try it that way too, Seema. I make it this way because the sauteed leaves are easier to eat for 80-year olds in my home.
This is one of the healthiest breakfast dish and one of our favorites as well! I usually add the leaves as such but mom sautes it!
Let me try with the leaves as they are. Yours is the second recommendation that I am getting to try it that way. 🙂