Shrimps & Drumsticks Soup:

Shrimps and Drumsticks Stew. Murungaikkai-Eral Soup. Murungaikkai-Iral Thanni Kuzhambu.

Shrimps: Shrimps contain a sleep promoting amino acid – Tryptopan, in it! So if you’re suffering from insomnia, fix shrimps for dinner! Or any sea food namely, cod, tuna and trout are also abundant in this amino acid! Better balance your sea food with enough carbohydrate diet. When we balance it with good carbohydrate diet, we fall asleep and also stay asleep(not tossing and turning in the middle of the night). Well…why I am raving about this sleep so much!! Yeah, for most of the illness, good nights sleep is a solution! Than the perfect 6 hours shut-eye mode…if a person plans for 8 hours routine, it can even prevent them from getting a stroke!

Besides, Tryptopan also revitalises one’s brain cells! Helps to remember better. It solves questions and queries. You would have noticed people say…sleep over it(to solve a problem). Sleep sorts out queries. When we are asleep, our brain chemicals still function! Various synapses breaks, releases chemicals, sort out using past experiences and things we studied from subconscious! Most of our problems could be solved by mere sleeping it over! Tryptopan helps to retrieve even a long lost memories!!!

Drumsticks: The Botanical name of this tree is ‘Moringa oleifera’! Both Leaves and pods are edible here. While talking about its pod, we call it as ‘Murungai kai’ in Tamil. Which literally means ‘Twisted vegetable’. Yeah…the pod is so slender and looks twisted. The common English name is ‘Drumsticks’, since the vegetable looks like one! They also call it as ‘Horse Radish’ at some places.

The tree is called ‘Brahma Viruksham’ in Sanskrit! As the name implies, it is used in the treatment of fertility problems in Sidhha and Ayurveda medicines. The leaves, flowers, slender twigs and pods are all edible here and its good for overall fertility(for both men & women).

Ingredients:

Drumsticks 2-3 chopped
Shrimps 200 grams (small)
Chilies 3 chopped
Ginger 2″ grated
Garlic 6 cloves chopped
Onion 1 chopped
Tomato 1 chopped
Salt
Turmeric 1 pinch
Curry leaves few
Cumin seeds few
Cilantro leaves few
Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a wide vessel, heat oil. Add cumin and curry leaves. Wait till it splutters.

Add chilies, ginger and garlic. Fry till fragrant.

Add onions and tomatoes, cover and cook for a while.

Then add drumsticks, salt and turmeric. Add 2 cups of water. Cover and cook.

When the veggie is 3/4th done, add shrimps. Cook over medium heat for another 7-10 minutes.

Remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

This could be taken as soup or as stew with plain steamed rice.