Drumstick curry (Drumstick vegetable) – Munakkaya tomato curry

Drumstick Curry recipe – Andhra style vegetable drumsticks cooked in a spicy onion tomato curry. Drumsticks are one of the most commonly eaten veggie in south Indian states. These are the pods of the Moringa tree and are considered to be great for digestion. We use them to make curry, sambar, stew (pulusu), rasam and even pickle.

In this post I have shared a simple recipe to make a delicious & flavorful drumstick curry that you can serve with plain rice. Simple everyday curries from South Indian cuisine, have a chunky curry base or gravy. They are much different from the restaurant dishes but yet taste good.

Drumsticks are prepared in a few different ways. I know a lot of people cook them with eggplants (brinjal), cashews, potatoes, sweet potatoes, golden pumpkin and even with boiled eggs.

We also make pulusu, a sweet spicy & tangy stew with drumsticks. I have also shared how to make the pulusu in the same recipe card notes.

Step-by-step photos

Drumstick curry recipe

1. Heat oil in a deep pan. When the oil turns hot add mustard & cumin. They will begin to splutter, then add curry leaves, garlic and green chili. Saute until the leaves turn crisp.

2. Add the onions, sprinkle salt and fry till they turn transparent. You don’t need to brown the onions but the raw smell should be gone.

3. Add drumsticks & fry for 2 to 3 mins to remove the raw smell.

4. Add tomatoes, some more salt &turmeric. Fry till the tomatoes become completely soft and pulpy. Do not cover and cook but fry in a open pan as it tastes better.

5. Add red chili powder & coriander powder(optional). Saute well until the raw smell of the chilli powder goes away.

6. Pour water just enough to cover the drumsticks. Stir well.

7. Cook on a medium flame till they are thoroughly cooked. If you have enough time, try cooking on the lowest heat for a long time. I sometimes do that, it yields a very tasty curry.

Serve drumstick curry with rice or chapathi.

You can also make a variation to this by adding boiled eggs. When the drumsticks are almost cooked but not fully, prick boiled eggs with a fork and add them here. Cook till the drumsticks are completely done. You can also fry the eggs in 1 tsp oil and then add them here

If you are new to cooking, then the following tip may help you:

Choosing drumsticks: Always choose young and fresh looking drumsticks. The veggies that are harvested long time ago will usually dry up and it is harder to cook them. They will also lack the flavor.

Related recipes
Brinjal Curry
Egg pulusu
Drumsticks sambar
Andhra drumsticks pickle.

The quantity of all ingredients to prepare this drumstick curry are approximations only. You can adjust to suit your taste.

Recipe