Drumstick (Sohanjna) Pods and Phool: Picking, Storing, Freezing (Video)

Transcript

Fresh Drumstick Tips

Forget the powder for a minute, let’s talk about fresh drumstick pods and their delicate white flowers, and how to pick, store, and use them.

What is Sohanjna?

Sohanjna, also called drumstick or moringa, is first a vegetable. The long green pods, called phalian, go into sambar and meat stews. The short spring white flowers, phool, are cooked as a sabzi. Choose slim pods that snap cleanly, then cut, blanch and freeze for longer storage. Below we’ll cover picking, cooking, eating the pulp, storage, and a safety note about the root and bark.

At a glance

Names vary across languages, flowers appear from February to March, pods show up from spring to early summer, and the best pods are bright green, even, and slim.

When flowers and pods appear

The tree flowers first, with creamy white blooms in February across Punjab and north India. After a few weeks the pods appear, hanging in long green strands through spring and early summer. In southern states the trees fruit for much longer, making drumstick a staple in sambar.

Choosing good pods

Over-mature pods can be bitter or stringy, so look for the right thickness. A good pod is about as thick as a little finger, smooth with gentle ridges, and bright green. Bend the thin end, if it snaps firm, it’s fresh; if it bends like rubber, it’s old.

How to eat the pulp

You don’t chew the whole pod. Hold it, split it along a seam with your fingers, and scrape the soft green-white pulp and tender seeds with your teeth or a spoon. The stringy outer skin stays on the plate, like an artichoke leaf. If the skin won’t split and the pulp is thin, the pod is too old. Wash the flowers, trim stalks, and cut into bite-size pieces.

Simple dishes

A quick sambar uses a cup of dal, turmeric, salt, and the pods simmered for eight to ten minutes. For a Punjabi meat stew, brown mutton with onions, ginger-garlic, tomatoes, then add pod pieces and a splash of water, cooking another ten to fifteen minutes. The flower sabzi is a simple fry with onion, garlic, and spices, finished with a tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves.

Storing and freezing

Whole pods keep in the fridge wrapped in newspaper or a cotton cloth for a few days. Cut pieces last two to three days in a sealed container. For long-term storage, cut into 6-8 cm pieces, blanch for two to three minutes, shock in cold water, then freeze. Flowers wilt quickly; boil, squeeze, and freeze in portions for a few months.

Nutritional notes

The pods are a modest source of fiber and vitamin C, with a mild asparagus-like flavor. They’re low in carbs, so they fit well in a diabetic plate, though they won’t lower sugar on their own. The leaves carry the bigger nutrient punch, but the pods are safe and nutritious as a regular vegetable.

Tip

Crushed moringa seeds can clump mud in cloudy water so it settles, a trick still used in parts of Africa and Asia.

Tree trivia

The tree is native to the sub-Himalayan foothills of north India and Pakistan and grows fast enough to reach several meters. It’s sometimes called the ‘horseradish tree’ because the root tastes sharp, though the root isn’t safe to eat. The English name ‘drumstick’ simply describes the long pod’s shape.

Traditional uses

In Punjabi homes the spring flowers were cooked with meat or potatoes as a ‘blood-cleansing’ seasonal dish, and pods were added to dal for new mothers. These are traditional food habits that many still enjoy.

Safety reminder

Root and bark are not food. They contain compounds that can make the womb contract and a toxic alkaloid, so never use them in cooking, whether pregnant or not. Flowers are generally safe in season, but keep them to occasional servings during pregnancy.

Thanks for watching

For the full guide, visit thecareonline.com. This is home advice, not medical advice.