Moringa magic

With powerful antioxidants and high nutritional value, it's little wonder this superfood has been finding its way onto menus the world over of late. Find out how you too can incorporate drumstick leaves into your daily diet

Moringa Tea
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 cup fresh moringa leaves
½ cup mint leaves
4 cups of water
1 slice ginger
2 leaves lemongrass
½ tsp moringa powder
Brown sugar or honey to taste
Method
Wash mint leaves and moringa leaves and place them in a tea pot.
Boil water in a pan together with ginger and lemongrass.
Once the water starts boiling, remove from the heat and pour into the teapot over the leaves.
Add moringa powder and allow to infuse for 3-4 minutes.
Strain and pour into serving cups. Add honey or sugar, as desired.
Top with a slice of lime or fresh mint leaves. Serve.

Moringa Moong Soup
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
1 cup green moong, soaked for 4 hours
2 cups water
1 tbsp ginger, chopped
1 green chilli
1 raw mango, grated
2 tbsp clarified butter
Pinch of asafoetida
7-8 curry leaves
2 cups moringa leaves, chopped finely
Salt to taste
2 tbsp brown sugar
Method
Cook green moong with water, ginger, chilli and raw mango in a pressure cooker for 5-7 minutes.
Cool and open the lid; then, mash the cooked lentils with the back of a ladle.
Heat clarified butter in a pan and add asafoetida and curry leaves.
Reserve few curry leaves for garnishing and add chopped moringa leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes before adding mashed lentil. Add water to adjust consistency. Add salt and sugar, and cook for 6-7 minutes.
Serve hot with bread, topped with curry leaves.

Moringa Curry
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp oil
2 cloves
1 tsp black stone flower (dagad phool)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ginger, chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 cups moringa leaves, finely chopped
1 cup spinach leaves, finely chopped
1 ripe medium tomato, finely chopped
2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled
Salt to taste
2 tbsp yoghurt
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp dry coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
3 cups boiling water
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
Method
Heat oil in a pan and add cloves, black stone flower and cumin. Once they begin to temper, add chopped ginger and green chilli.
Stir and add chopped moringa and spinach leaves. Sauté and cook for 2 minutes.
Add chopped tomato and cook for 2 more minutes.
Roughly mash potatoes with a fork in a bowl and add salt, yoghurt and all the dry spices.
Add this mixture to the pan with moringa and spinach.
Add water and cook for about 7-8 minutes.
Serve hot with rice or bread, garnished with coriander leaves.

Multigrain Moringa Flat Bread
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 cups multigrain flour
Salt to taste
1 tsp black pepper, crushed
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp oil, plus extra for shallow-fry
1 ½ cup moringa leaves
7-8 spinach leaves, finely chopped
1 green chilli
1 cup water
2 tbsp roasted chickpea flour
Method
Mix multigrain flour, salt, pepper, sesame seeds and oil in a mixing bowl.
Add moringa leaves, spinach leaves and green chilli in a blender, together with water.
Blend and add this to the flour mix to make a semi-soft dough.
Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes in the fridge.
Heat a flat pan and smear with oil.
Dust a flat surface with flour and take a lemon-sized ball from prepared dough; roll the bread into the desired shape, and cook on both sides on medium-low heat.
Serve hot with curry, chutney or pickle.

Moringa Morning Smoothie
Prep time: 10 mins
Serves: 2
Ingredients
½ cup moringa leaves
½ cup baby spinach or ¼ cup oats, slightly roasted
2 bananas
½ cup pineapple
2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
2 cups coconut water
1 tsp blueberry powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp chocolate syrup, optional
Ice cubes, optional
Mint leaves, to garnish
Method
Place all the ingredients in a high-speed smoothie blender and blend till smooth.
Swirl the chocolate syrup in the mason jars, before pouring in the smoothie mix.
Add ice cubes and mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Gimme-'Mor' Mousse
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 7 mins
Chill time: 4 hrs
Ingredients
200 gm strawberry-flavoured dark chocolate
250 gm whipped cream
7-8 leaves basil
1 tbsp butter, salted
2 tbsp moringa powder
2 tbsp icing sugar
Raspberries, blueberries, mint leaves and brownie for serving, optional
Method
Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt them a bit in a bowl placed on warm water.
Set aside 50 gm cream and boil the rest with basil leaves and butter.
Once it starts to boil, discard the basil leaves and pour the cream mix over the semi-melted chocolate.
Add 1 tsp moringa powder and pour into serving cups.
Mix remaining moringa powder, icing sugar and reserved whipped cream and pour from the sides into the prepared cups. Chill for 3-4 hours.
Serve with mixed fresh berries and brownies.

Moringa Choco Magic
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 5 mins
Chill time: 2 hrs
Ingredients
100 gm bio dark chocolate
100 gm bio orange chocolate
100 gm cream
1 tbsp butter
6-7 mint leaves, cleaned
Pinch of sea salt
2 tsp moringa powder
Method
Break the chocolates into small pieces and place them in a glass bowl.
Boil cream and butter in a saucepan together with mint leaves.
Remove the mix from heat, discard mint leaves and pour over the chocolates. Mix together with a spatula.
Add salt and moringa powder, and pour into a silicon mould tray.
Allow to chill in the fridge for 2 hours. Serve.

• Food and Dining