We should always maintain a balanced diet as it helps to keep our immune system proper and fit. And it is equally important to eat local food for raising your fitness levels and becoming the strongest version of yourself. Foods that are native to your region are typically the most nutritious. If your kale, quinoa or avocados are grown on another continent and have spent hours in transit, you can hardly call them superfoods anymore. It’s wiser to stick to locally grown foods rooted in timeless Indian wisdom. One such lesser-known powerful ingredient is moringa flower, known in Hindi as sahjan. Almost every part of the moringa (commonly referred to as the drumstick tree) is said to be edible.
It’s rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and a great source of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. The flowers are a rich reservoir of calcium, potassium, and iron. Moringa flowers help in resolving infertility issues in men and women. Various vital nutrients present in it revitalise the reproductive system and make it function more effectively.
Here is the recipe of Moringa chutney:
Ingredients:
1 cup of moringa flowers (Sahjan)
2 sprigs of green garlic
2 stalk curry leaves
½ inch ginger
3 green chillies
1 tablespoon roasted chana dal
2 tablespoons beaten curd
Salt to taste
For tempering:
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
½ teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon water
Method:
1. When using moringa flowers, do not discard the tiny buds. Boil some water in a vessel and add salt. When the water comes to a boil, add the flowers and cook till tender. Drain the water. Then wash the flowers in fresh water. Keep it in a strainer and allow it to cool. This process will take the bitterness out of the flowers.
2. Chop off the roots of green garlic sprigs, chop garlic and greens roughly.
3. Grind together cooked moringa flowers, curry leaves, garlic with greens, ginger, green chillies, roasted chana dal and salt to taste.
4. Pour into a dish, add the beaten curd and mix well.
5. Heat oil in a small pan, crackle sesame seeds and mustard seeds and then add water. Pour this sizzling tadka on moringa flower chutney.
6. Serve this chutney with any snack or as an accompaniment to meals.
