Indian Drumstick Vegetable Recipe

Updated: May 17, 2024, By Swasthi

Indian Drumstick Vegetable is cooked with spices, onions, tomatoes and potatoes for a delicious and hearty dish. Call it a curry or a stew, it just tastes fantastic with rice, millets, quinoa or even with flatbreads. Some crispy papadums and a bowl of dal on the side makes it a complete traditional meal. This drumstick vegetable dish is vegan, gluten-free and is bursting with flavors.

Indian Drumstick Vegetable Recipe

Recipe Comments

Drumstick is a pod of the Moringa Oleifera plant or tree. It goes by the names Sajjan Ki Phalli in Hindi, Munagakaya in Telugu, Murungakkai in Tamil and Nuggekai in Kannada. This long green colored drumstick vegetable is widely used in the South Indian recipes to make curry, Sambar and Pulusu. Even their leaves are used to cook dal and stir fried foods.

I am sharing a simple drumstick gravy that makes a good & simple side dish. Drumsticks and potatoes are cooked in tangy spicy onion tomato gravy that tastes scrumptious with juicy drumsticks. If you are looking for a simple dish then it may be for you since there is no grinding work. It is perfect to prepare on a week day.

To make the drumstick recipe, you can omit the potatoes or replace them with sweet potatoes, pumpkin, egg plants or boiled eggs. This is a South Indian style curry so I haven’t used any garam masala and made it the traditional way. The sauce/curry is runny and not thick like other dishes. If you prefer thicker curry you may use coriander powder, cumin powder and some garam masala.

Photo Guide

How to cook Indian Drumstick Vegetable (Stepwise Photos)

1. Heat oil in a pan. Add curry leaves, mustard and jeera. When they splutter add onions and green chilies. Fry till they turn slightly transparent. They need not turn golden.

seasoning spices in oil for drumstick recipe

2. Add chopped drumsticks and potatoes. Fry on high heat for 2 to 3 mins. This is done to bring out the flavors of drumstick.

frying potatoes with drusmticks

3. Add tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Fry till the tomatoes turn mushy. Remember fry and do not cook by closing the lid. The taste would be completely different by covered cooking.

addition of tomatoes salt to make drumstick recipe

4. Add red chili powder. Mix well. Fry till the raw smell of chili powder goes away. This takes about 2 to 3 mins. You can also add coriander powder along with chili powder.

red chili powder coriander for drumstick recipe

5. Pour enough water to immerse the drumsticks.  I added 3 cups of water. You can also add coriander powder at this stage. Cover and cook on a low to medium flame till the drumsticks are fully cooked. The longer the drumsticks are simmered on a low to medium flame the more tasty the drumstick gravy would be.

simmering on a low flame

Serve drumstick potato gravy hot with rice or roti.

Indian Drumstick Vegetable curry

Related Recipes

Recipe Card

Indian Drumstick Vegetable Recipe

Indian Drumstick Vegetable Recipe

4.90 from 38 votes
This Vegetable Drumstick Recipe from South Indian cuisine is a simplest and delicious dish where drumsticks are cooked with potatoes, spices and herbs. It can be served along with rice and chapati.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Servings4
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 3 drumsticks – vegetable drumsticks (cut to finger sized pieces)
  • 1½ cups (1 large onion) onions fine chopped
  • 2 medium potatoes diced or cubed
  • 2 large tomatoes chopped finely
  • 2 green chilies (slit)
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • tablespoon Oil
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • ½ teaspoon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon cumin (or jeera)
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric or haldi

optional

  • 1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala (use more if desired)
  • 2 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped finely or cilantro


Instructions

How to cook Indian Drumstick Vegetable

  • Wash drumsticks under running water. If not tender scrape off the skin lightly. Wash and chop to finger length pieces. Cube potatoes to medium sized pieces, and add them to a bowl of water until used.
  • Add oil to a pan and heat. Add mustard and cumin. When they begin to splutter, add curry leaves, green chilies and finely chopped onions. Fry until transparent or pink stirring often.
  • Add drumsticks and potatoes. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric. I usually deseed the tomatoes and use for this recipe. Fry until the tomatoes turn mushy.
  • Then add red chili powder and fry for 2 minutes. If you wish to add garam masala or coriander powder add it now.
  • Pour water just enough to cover the drumsticks and potatoes. Cover and cook till the veggies are soft cooked. Garnish drumstick gravy with coriander leaves. Serve with plain rice & ghee.


NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Indian Drumstick Vegetable Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 290 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 65mg22%
Sodium 154mg7%
Potassium 324mg9%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 240IU5%
Vitamin C 23.1mg28%
Calcium 35mg4%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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About Swasthi

I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me

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Recipe Rating




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Love your recipes. always turned out well.

5 stars
Wow amazing u r explaining

5 stars
Turned out delicious like my mom’s curry. Thank you

Very very good and useful recipies. Looking forward to many authentic South Indian,& Manglorian recepies.

Hello, thanks for the recipe the taste was very nice especially in leaving it longer on a little fire. But I got some questions as I am not familiar with moringa. Inside, how are the seeds ? Because it is like a bit hard, almost crunchy…when the drumsticks need to be removed from the tree to be better ? I felt the outside was very hard and only inside can be eaten right ? I left longer to make sure everything was cooked. Do you have a special time for this recipe ? Thank you so much…

4 stars
Nice recipe loved it…?

After adding water, should we cover it with lid or not?

4 stars
Turned out well, made it as per recipe. Thank you.

5 stars
Looks
Yummy. Planning to try out tomorrow

Very very beautiful ??❤️ , the best part is your explanation text, I appreciate, thank you for beautiful and healthy recipe.

Hi, How much tumeric is in the recipe? It’s not in the ingredient list. I made a guess and it tasted great.

5 stars
I cooked this today with this exact recipe, and was amazed with what I cooked. 🙂 Super yummy.
I had less rice but had the sabzi plain many 2-3 times…..It was great as it is , and when mixed with curd.
I am not able to share my curry picture here.
Thank you ❤

Wow.. superb.. .. we get plenty of drumsticks.. till now only used in sambar and few curries. Today tried a drumstick potato curry.. and it tastes yummy. Thank you so much. This adds to my recipe book.

5 stars
This is superb I tried it with sweet potatoes and everyone loved it. This adds to my regular cooking menu. Thank you so much for this wonderful blog.

5 stars
Thanks Madam for the delicious recipe.I love it ?

5 stars
very Nice receipy n tasty.

5 stars
Aswme receipes thankz for uploading these items
U dnt have any app ah????if plz sharetat too

4 stars
In the ingredients it is give to slit 2 green chillies but in the procedure u haven’t mentioned anything about green chillies..

But it is really delicious

Just edit the recipe

5 stars
I like the recipe. Easy to cook. Only thing that needs to remeber is selecting the drumsticks. Medium ripen or just about is the best!!! More than medium ripen drumsticks cannot absorb the flavour.. I really enjoyed. Cooking this first time. Thanks.

5 stars
Very tasty recipes thanks

5 stars
Best Drumstick recipe that I’ve tried so far. .Quick and easy too.