Sehjan Roti for keeping your bones and teeth strong
Sehjan, drumsticks or Moringa leaves are a rich source of Iron, Calcium, Vitamin C and other micronutrients for the body. Lucky to have a Sehjan tree growing in our garden, we use the leaves in our rotis or Indian flatbread.
Moringa leaves powder is available for sale as a food supplement, and is found in many Ayurvedic preparations to fight Arthritis.
Moringa or drumsticks fruit is used in many delicious Indian recipes. Drumsticks are used in Sambhar curry, stir fried as a vegetable dish or stored as a pickle.
Fresh Moringa flowers are used in savoury dishes. The flowers are parboiled and stir fried with spices or added to spiced yoghurt for a raita, chutney or a simple salad. The flowers invite bees to my garden too!
Steps to make Moringa Indian Flatbread or Moringa roti
Take a cup of moringa leaves. Grind them to a paste with half a cup water. In a bowl of 2 cups flour (wholewheat or multigrain works best for my family). To the flour, add the moringa leaves paste and kneed well. If required add in a table spoon of water to get a stiff but pliable dough.
Divide the dough into six balls. Dust them with some flour and roll individually with the help of a rolling pin on a hard surface. In India, we use a wooden chakla and belan (rolling pin) to do this.
On a hot griddle or iron tava, place your rolled out dough or roti. Let it half cook on and flip. Cook a little more than the first side. With the help of a kitchen napkin, press the roti as it cooks some more without letting it burn. Flip and cook completely on the other side, pressing it with a kitchen napkin and turning occasionally to see if the roti is cooked right till the edges.
Take the cooked roti off the fire and on to your kitchen napkin. Dab it with half a spoon on pure ghee (clarified butter) or butter. Eat it just like this with a sprinkle of salt or serve with pickle, curry, raita or a stir fried vegetable dish for a wholesome meal, rich in nutrition.