Murungakkai Soup | Drumstick Soup Recipe | Drumstick Soup For Pregnant Women | Soup For New Moms | Drumstick Soup For Kids

Authentic south Indian soups are the best when considering the health benefits and they are tasty too. Here's a very subtle South Indian style soup that is creamy and tasty even without cream or flour. Only a very few handful ingredients from the pantry is enough to make this very healthy soup and I call it very-healthy as it has numerous goodness to offer. This one can be served to lactating or breastfeeding mothers as garlic and drumsticks help in increasing the milk supply. Drumsticks also provide vital nutrients and has high iron content essential for the mothers so keeps tiredness at bay and post delivery it helps compensate the blood lost. The same can be served to pregnant women in their second and third trimesters. It helps nourish the fetus with all the vitamins and minerals abundantly present in them and also strengthens the uterus, it is also said to reduce post delivery complications. The same soup can be given to kids also, kids will not have a difficulty in drinking this soup as it is tasty enough. Kids don't usually chew the drumsticks and hence they do not get the nutrition from these wonderful pods, but in this recipe there's no chewing needed so you will be making it easier for them to gulp. (I forgot to mention how mess free this drumstick soup is, no chewing no messing around :) ) Elderly people can also have this soup and enjoy good health. Make sure you use ghee or gingelly oil when serving pregnant women and lactating mothers and try to avoid any kind of refined oil!

INGREDIENTS

Serves one person
Total Preparation Time - 20 - 30 minutes 

1. Drumstick - 2 slender ones 
2. Shallots - 3
3. Garlic - 2 
4. Peppercorns - 5 (crushed coarsely)
5. Cinnamon stick - 1 small piece 
6. Ghee - 1 teaspoon (or gingelly oil, but ghee gives a good flavor) 
7. Salt - As required 

PREPARATION METHOD

• Wash drumsticks well in water. Chop into finger long pieces and put them into a saucepan or pan. Pour 2 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until the drumsticks seems cooked. It might take 7 minutes. (Open the drumsticks to check if it has got cooked)

• The remove from flame and take the drumstick pieces and keep aside the water, we will be using it in the soup preparation. 

• Wait until drumstick pieces reaches bearable temperature or until  they completely cool down, so you will be able to handle it. Scoop or scrape out the flesh using a spoon from every piece.

• Grind it into a fine paste using a blender. To this add the leftover water we have stocked back after cooking drumsticks. Mix well. 

• Now place a pan on flame, pour ghee, after it warms up add cinnamon stick and saute, then add chopped shallots, chopped garlic and saute until raw smell leaves. 

• Add the drumstick paste now and let it boil for a few minutes on low flame. 

• After it thickens up add required salt and crushed pepper. Remove from flame and serve hot. 

TIP 1: When serving kids add just a pinch pepper powder stir well and then serve them warm. 

TIP 2: You can add more flavors if you like but when serving pregnant mothers and new moms make sure to keep it subtle. 

TIP 3: You can add cooked and mashed dal (paruppu) to this soup also. Just add after sauteing the shallots and garlic pods. For pregnant women paasi paruppu (or) moong dal is the better option and for kids bothe moong dal and tuvar / toor dal can be used. 

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