Murungakkai Thokku Recipe – How to make Drumstick Thokku

Updated on February 24, 2019

Murungakkai Thokku recipe with step by step pictures. Murungakkai thokku made using drumstick pulp. It’s a mildly spicy dish and goes well as a side dish with rice.

This is one recipe that I love so much since childhood. I love murungakkai (drumstick) and also Murungakeerai (Drumstick leaves) very much. As both are rich in Iron, I was always encouraged to eat them as often as possible to tackle my weak nerves.

Both are good for anaemia as well. But since I do not always get Murunga keerai as often as I wish to, I make do with murungaikkai because of its easy availability in the city.

This is one dish that tastes best when made with fresh drumsticks plucked right off the tree. Or may be its just my mind telling me that as my Grandma has 4-5 drumstick trees in her backyard and always makes this murungakkai thokku right after pulling them off the tree.

In my opinion, it’s not taste the same when made with store bough drumsticks. So when 2 months ago when my MIL came with lots of drumsticks from her back yard, this was the first dish that I made and ate with hot rice.

As the drumstick pulp has a sweet taste to it, I add both sambar powder and red chili powder to give the dish enough heat. If you prefer it less spicy skip the chili powder and add just the sambar powder alone.

Though this is served as a side dish, I love mixing this murungakkai thokku with hot rice and eating it as such.

Step by step recipe for Murungakkai thokku:

 1. Cut the murugakkai into 2-3 pieces.

2. Heat a pan with water, add tamarind piece, turmeric powder, 2 pinch salt, drumstick pieces and cook till soft.

 3. Drain the drumstick pieces and open them. Remove the pulp using a spoon and keep aside.

4. Heat a pan with oil and temper with mustard seeds and urad dal. Add onion, curry leaves and cook till the onions turn translucent.

5. Add murungakkai pulp, red chili powder, sambar powder, salt and mix well.

6. Cook over low flame for another 3-4 minutes till the flavors merge well.

 7. Murungakkai thokku is ready. Serve hot as a side dish with rice or mix the thokku with rice and eat as such.

Murungakkai thokku recipe details below:

Print Recipe

Murungakkai Thokku Recipe - Drumstick Thokku

Murungakkai thokku recipe made using drumstick pulp served as a side dish with rice.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: South Indian

Servings: 3 -4 servings

Author: Radhika

Ingredients:

• Murungakkai or Drumsticks - 6
• Onion – 1
• Tamarind – 1 small piece
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Sambar powder – 2 tsp
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal -1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 3 tsp

Instructions:

• Trim the ends of the Murungakkai and cut each one into 2 or 3 pieces.
• Heat a pan with 1- 2 cups of water. When it comes to a boil, add tamarind pieces, tamarind piece, turmeric powder, 2 pinch salt.
• Let it cook over medium flame till the drumstick become soft.
• Once cooled drain away excess water, discard the tamarind and remove the drumstick pieces on to a plate.
• Open the drumstick and using a spoon scrape away the pulp along with the seeds and keep it aside.
• Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
• Add urad dal and roast till it becomes golden in color.
• Add onion, curry leaves and sauté till the onion turns translucent.
• Add the murungakkai pulp, red chili powder, sambar powder, salt and mix well.
• Let it cook for another 3-4 minutes over low flame for the flavors to merge together.
• Murungakkai thokku is ready to serve.
• You can either serve this as a side dish with sambar or rasam rice or mix this thokku with rice and eat.