This Drumstick Soup is a light, nutritious, and flavorful South Indian-style soup made with drumsticks (moringa pods), split yellow moong dal, spices, and herbs, cooked in a pressure cooker.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 4 medium drumsticks (cut into 2-inch pieces, (I used frozen))
  • 2 tablespoons split yellow moong dal
  • 1/2 small onion (roughly chopped)
  • 1 small tomato (roughly chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • salt
  • 2 cups water (or vegetable broth) ((+ 1/2-1 cup water to add consistency))
  • 1/2 teaspoon roasted jeera powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder (to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves

For Tempering (Optional)

  • 1 teaspoon ghee ((or oil))
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

Method

  1. To the Pressure cooker, add 3-4 drumsticks (peeled and cut, about 2 cups), 2 tablespoons moong dal, ½ small onion (roughly chopped), 1 small diced tomato, 3 garlic cloves, 1 inch ginger, ½ teaspoon turmeric, salt, 2 cups of water (or vegetable broth). Mix everything well.
  2. Close the lid. Give 2-3 whistles on medium flame and let the pressure release naturally. Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Method: Follow the same steps as the stovetop pressure cooker. Set the pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK (High Pressure) and timer to 6-8 minutes, and let the pressure release naturally. All the other steps remain the same.
  3. Once the soup mixture has slightly cooled, transfer it to a high-speed blender like a Vitamix and blend until smooth.
  4. Strain the mixture using a fine-mesh strainer to separate the fibre and other solids from the pulp. Also, if you think the soup is too thick, add water or vegetable broth to the soup. I added ½ cup of water. Next, add roasted jeera powder and pepper powder.
  5. Next, add the ghee cumin tempering/tadka (optional but recommended). Mix well and bring it to a boil for 1-2 minutes.
  6. Lastly, add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Mix well.
  7. Drumstick moong soup is ready to serve.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.