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Drumstick (Vegetable) - सहजन, मुनगा, सोजिना

Drumstick is a popular vegetable in India. Locally it is known by different names - Sahjan (सहजन), Munaga (मुनगा), Sojina (सोजिना), Sutti (सुट्टी), etc. In South Chhotanagpur, it is known by the name Joki (जोकी). The scientific name is Moringa oleifera. Moringa is derived from the Tamil name Murugai, meaning twisted pod. It is native to the Himalayan Foothills and has its Sanskrit name as Surajana (सुरजन). It is a drought-resistant tree and requires minimal care. It grows rapidly and gives fruit within a year or two. It's plantation is easy. Since the fruits are not plucked directly from the tree but the fruit-bearing branches are chopped off. Next year, fruits come in new branches that grow near the chopping place. The chopped-off branches are used for the plantation of new trees. Just dig a hole about one foot deep in the ground and put the lower portion of the branch in the hole, pack the earth around it, and keep it moist for a few days. If it is not disturbed, then buds begin to grow over it, and the new plant is ready.

The ease of plantation, low care of the tree, short waiting time for fruits, and good rate in the market make it ideal for plantation by lower-income group people even if they have a minimum land available.

The doctors advise taking green vegetables, but in modern-day cities, the available green vegetables have a risk of residual pesticides on them. And those vegetables have higher pesticide risks, which grow in the offseason, or those that are generally prone to pests. So it is better to search for such vegetables that have the minimum or no pesticides used. Drumsticks are one of such vegetables. That is why I am writing this article.

Not only pesticide-free it is also regarded as a medicinal vegetable and generally termed as Neerog Sabji -(Good for health, नीरोग सब्जी) in Hindi. It is a seasonal tree. From mid-January, Sahjan-flowers (सहजन फूल) begin to come in the vegetable market. These flowers are boiled and then cooked with potatoes to make a curry, or the boiled flowers are mixed with Besan (Bengal gram-flour), red chilly powder, green chilly pieces, and salt, then sprinkled with breadcrumbs and deep-fried to make Pakodas.

A week later, thin Sahjan vegetables (सहजन की सब्जी) will be available in the market, first prices may be between Rs. 200 to Rs. 250 a kilogram. But it is worth its price - soft and without hard fibers (which develop as it grows). No pre-cook preparation hassles, just clean with water and cut with a knife. But be careful, as it is the stage when I once found the trace of pesticide in it. In fact, due to the high price, the commercial vegetable growers may use such pesticides that increase the percentage of fruit-bearing. It was a lesson for me, and then on I never bought small Munagas from permanent vegetable vendors, but I always purchase them from local farmers who come to the market only in the morning with one head basket full of vegetables, and after three to four hours return to their home.
In the next 15 days the size of the drumsticks increases, and so does their thickness and stiffness. With the hardening of fibers, it cannot be fully eaten; instead, you will have to take out residual fibers (सिट्ठी).
As time passes, thickness and stiffness, along with the size of seeds, increase. Triangular seeds are edible. Till the time of March-end, fibers become so hard that you will avoid taking their pieces whole in the mouth. The best way to eat it is by holding the one end and sucking the soft parts and seeds with the help of front teeth and pulling the fibers out of the mouth. Another notable thing is the reduction in its price. At this time, the rate of drumsticks falls drastically to Rs. 10 a kilogram.
The tasty drumstick curry needs mustard and tomato as spices. Another recipe is putting the pieces in the pulse (दाल). This recipe is best when the drumsticks are hard as described above. Generally, 10-15 pieces are tied with a thin cotton thread and put in the boiling pot to prevent them from breaking when fully cooked. It is also used in the South Indian recipe of Sambhar.
The green Munaga tree leaves are also edible and beneficial for health. Munga leaf tea, boiled for at least 10 minutes, is taken to reduce the increased blood pressure. The green leaves are also cooked as Saag (साग) just like Spinach. Even oil is extracted from its mature seeds, which is called "Ben Oil".
Though there are innumerable benefits of Drumsticks, it is advised not to be taken by pregnant women. Some people are allergic to drumsticks. Also, the roots and bark of the tree are not edible and can even prove to be poisonous.

Problem with Drumstick plant

Though the plant of the Drumstick requires nearly no care, it should be kept in mind that this tree is a host of an insect that looks like a caterpillar and has stinging hairs on its body like a brush (hairy caterpillar). If you come in contact with it, some hairs will pierce into the skin and detach from the insect. The place on the skin will itch and swell, and the problem may continue for twenty-four hours before the effect reduces. These insects, which are called Bhua Pillu (भुआ पिल्लू) in the local language, breed on the bark of this tree and eat the leaves of this tree, which may affect the production. But it has a simple remedy - At the time of breeding, the stem of the tree is whitewashed with lime.

This tree provides a source of income for poor people, just like poultry and goats. For other people, it is a healthy vegetable.

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