16 moringa recipes you will absolutly love!!!

16 moringa recipes you will absolutly love!!!

 

Moringa Oleifera Recipes

Moringa Tea

There are a number of ways you can enjoy moringa tea.  You can use ½ to 1 teaspoon of dried Moringa leaves to a cup of water. If making the tea with fresh leaves, you can add 2 to 3 compound leaves to boiling water, cook the leaves briefly for a minute, then cover and let steep for 5 – 10 minutes.  Or you can put ½ tsp moringa powder into hot water, cover and let steep. .Add some lemon peel and a little sweetener of your choice, or play around with other combos. I really enjoy moringa/peppermint tea.

Superfood Moringa Smoothie

1 cup coconut milk (can use almond milk, rice milk, etc.)
1 tsp moringa powder or dried leaf  
½ tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg     
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp cardamom (or two cardamom seeds pods)  ½ banana (fresh or frozen)
(can modify with other herbs, spices and superfoods like coriander, ginger, astragalus, etc.)
Blend and drink.

Moringa Leaf Sauce 

5 Tablespoons of Moringa leaf powder      
¼ cup of peanut butter
5 Tablespoons of oil, (vegetable, olive, or palm oil)             
1 Medium onion - chopped
1 quart of water        
Salt and pepper to taste
Red pepper or pepper flakes to taste

Add peanut butter and water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes on medium heat.  Add oil, Moringa leaf powder and chopped onion. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  (or you can wait to add Moringa powder until the last few minutes of cooking)  Add salt and pepper and red pepper to taste. Serve over rice or couscous and with vegetables.


Cooking The Leaves:

Moringa leaves can be cooked any way you would prepare spinach or collards or kale. One easy way to cook them is to steam 2 cups freshly picked leaves for just a few minutes in one cup water, seasoned with onion, vegan butter and sea salt. Vary or add other seasons according to your taste.  You can also parboil them for just a few minutes, then take them out and cool them down with cold water, squeeze the water out with your hands and toss them with some fresh cut tomatoes  and soy sauce for a salad.  Then pour a cup of moringa tea using the water you parboiled them in.


Cooking the Pods:

Young moringa oleifera tree pods are edible whole, with a delicate flavor like asparagus.

They can be used from the time they emerge from the flower cluster until they become too pulpy/woody to snap easily.  The largest ones usable will probably be 12 to 15 inches long and 1/4 inch in diameter.  At this stage of growth they can be prepared in many ways.  Here are a few:

1.  Cut the pods into one-inch lengths.  Add onion, vegan butter and salt.  Boil for ten minutes or until tender.

2. Steam the pods without seasonings, then marinade in a mixture of oil, vinegar, sea salt,pepper, garlic and parsley.

3. An acceptable "mock asparagus" soup can be made by boiling the cut pods until tender, seasoned with onion. Add vegan milk (soy, rice, almond), thicken and season to taste.

Even if the pods pass the stage where they snap easily they can still be used.  You can cut them into three-inch lengths, boil until tender (about 15 minutes), and eat as you would artichokes.  Or you can scrape the pods to remove the woody outer fibers before cooking.


Cooking the Peas:

Seeds, or "peas," can be used from the time they begin to form until they begin to turn yellow and their shells begin to harden. Only experience can tell you at what stage to harvest the pods for their peas.

To open the pod, take it in both hands and twist. With your thumbnail slit open the pod along the line that appears. Remove the peas with their soft winged shells intact and as much soft white flesh as you can by scraping the inside of the pod with the side of a spoon. Place the peas and flesh in a strainer and wash well to remove the sticky, bitter film that coats them. (Or better still, blanch them for a few minutes, then pour off the water before boiling again in fresh water). Now they are ready to use in any recipe you would use for green peas. They can be boiled as they are, seasoned with onion, vegan butter and sea salt, much the same as the leaves and young pods. They can be cooked with rice as you would any bean.  The more mature the seeds, the more potent they are so you wouldn't want to eat too many at a time at their more mature stages.

In India the peas are prepared similar to this:

12-15 moringa tree pods    1 medium onion, diced
4 cups grated coconut        2 vegan bouillon cubes
2 inches ginger root           4 Tblsp. oil
1 clove garlic                  
salt, pepper to taste

Blanch both peas and pods flesh, drain.  Remove milk from 2 1/2 cups grated coconut by squeezing water through it two or three times.  Crush ginger root and garlic, save half for later. Mix peas, flesh, coconut milk, ginger and garlic together with onion, bouillon cubes (or 1 tsp miso paste), oil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the peas are soft, about 20 minutes. Fry remaining coconut until brown. Fry remaining half of crushed ginger root and garlic in 2 Tblsp. oil. Add coconut, ginger, garlic to first mixture, heat through. Serves six.

The Flowers

Caution: Moringa flowers can act as an abortifacient so do not use in pregnancy.  The flower buds and blossoms should be cooked before consuming. They can be made into a tea, as well as fried by themselves or battered and fried. To make a tea, boil water, then place a cluster of flowers to steep in it for about 5 minutes.  Add a little sugar or stevia as desired.  The flowers can be used as a natural pesticide, as insects and other pests are repelled by the flower essence.


Moringa Soup (my favorite moringa recipe - Thanks Mom!)

Here is a basic recipe, which can be modified according to taste and availability:

Piece of Ginger root, sliced
Garlic, 1 or 2 cloves or to taste
Moringa, fresh, four cups (or more or less according to taste and availability).
NOTE:  Frozen Moringa can be substituted.  I’ve seen it available at an Asian Market. 
Because I’m vegan . . . vegan chicken, pork, or tofu, 8 oz – 16 oz, depending on the number of people you are serving   (figure adding 4 oz per person)
Tomato, 1 or 2 large, diced
Pure water, enough to cover ingredients. or more for extra broth
Pinch salt and pepper, or to taste

Preparation: Put all ingredients but the Moringa in a pot and let simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the Moringa after 20 minutes, and let simmer for another couple minutes, until Moringa is bright green.  Soup is now ready to serve.  The soup can be eaten as is or served over brown or white rice, with the soup juice poured over the top of the rice for flavor.
Once you try the basic soup, you can experiment with adding other ingredients for variety, like onions, other vegetables, vegan soup broth or other spices, different vegan meats, etc.

The following alternative recipe was shared by Monalina who grew up in the Philippines and moringa is one vegetable that she always had once or twice a week. Here is one of her favorite recipes. Thanks Monalina!

2-3 cups fresh moringa leaves
I cup cubed butter squash
1 cup cubed sweet potato
2 tbsp canola or olive oil or  virgin coconut oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
I medium chopped onion
Garlic salt or salt to taste

Preparation: Saute  onion, garlic and ginger all together until  golden brown, Add the butter squash and sweet potato,stir it for 1 min, Add 2 cups of water, cover  and simmer for at least 15 minutes.. Season with garlic salt or salt.  Stir in the moringa and let it cook for 2 minutes.  Serve on top of cooked rice and enjoy!!

Fresh Moringa Leaf and Beans 

Use this as a tasty side dish with any compatible entrée. 
1 cup of beans, mongo beans are used in the Philippines but you may substitute, baby limas, red beans or pintos.

2-3 cups of water                                  2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 small onion                                        1 medium tomato
1 cup fresh Moringa leaves                    Salt and pepper to taste.

Boil the beans until tender. While the beans are boiling, sauté the onions, garlic and tomato. When beans are tender add the tomato, onion, garlic to the beans. Strip the Moringa leaves from the stems, remove any excess stems from the leaves. Add fresh Moringa leaves. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Moringa Soufflé

This is an excellent side dish for most any entrée.  Quick and easy.

16 oz of fresh Moringa                          1 cup of vegan or soy Sour Cream       
1 Package of Lipton’s Dried Onion Soup Mix (or portion thereof, to taste)

Wash the moringa and squeeze out excess water. Remove any excess stems. Mix with sour cream and the soup mix. Add more sour cream if you like a creamier consistency. Lightly oil a baking dish and use spatula to put mixture in the dish. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes in a 350-degree oven. Serves four.   

Moringa Leaves Gulay

1 cup coconut milk diluted with 1 cup water
1 cup tofu
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, sliced
1/8 tsp. sea salt
6 cup moringa leaves, washed
4 pieces chili peppers, crushed

Preparation:  Boil coconut milk, tofu, garlic and onion for 10 minutes.  Season with salt, stirring the mixture continuously.  Add moringa leaves and crushed chili peppers.  Cook 5 minutes longer.  Serve hot.  Serves 6.

Tofu Suam

2 Tblsp. vegetable oil                  1-1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. minced garlic                      5 cup water
2 Tblsp. sliced onion                    1 lb. tofu cubed
1 Tblsp. ginger, cut into strips      2 cup moringa leaves, washed

Preparation: Sautee garlic, onion and ginger in shortening, in large fry pan. Add sea salt and water. Bring to a boil, and add tofu. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer. Serve at once, Serves 6.

Mung Bean Stew

4 Tblsp. vegetable oil                1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup miso broth                    4-1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 T sliced onion                        3 cups water   
1/2 cup sliced tomatoes              dash of pepper
3 cup moringa leaves, washed
1 cup dried mung bean, boiled

Preparation: Sautee garlic, onion and tomatoes in large fry pan. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Add mung bean, miso broth and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, then add moringa leaves and cook 5 minutes longer. Serves 6.

Sautéed Moringa Pods

Ingredients:

2 cup fresh moringa pods                    2 Tblsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. minced garlic                             1 tsp. sea salt
2 T. sliced onion                                 1 cup fresh lima or butter bean seeds, peeled
1/2 cup sliced tomatoes                        1 cup green cowpea or yard-long bean pods cut into 1-1/2" lengths and sliced                                                             lengthwise


Preparation: Cut moringa pods lengthwise into 4 pieces. Slice white pulp including tender seeds. Discard outer covering. Cut pulp into 1-1/2 inch lengths. Sautee garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
Cover, and cook 2 minutes. Season with sea salt. Add lima or butter beans, and cook 3 minutes. Add moringa pulp and cowpea or yard-long bean. Cover, and cook 10 minutes.  Serves 6.

Vegetarian Moringa Jambalaya 

1 cup rice                                                    
1 onion, chopped                                         1 carrot, sliced thinly
3 Tblsp. oil 1 green pepper, sliced thinly         1/2 cup moringa leaves
1 cup peas or  green beans                           1 Tblsp. finely chopped celery
3/4 cup tomatoes, chopped                          3 cup water

Preparation: Wash rice and soak in small bowl for 1 hour, then drain. Fry onion in cooking oil until tender, but not brown. Set aside. Add tomatoes. When boiling, stir in rice slowly on low fire. When rice is half cooked add the other ingredients. Cover tightly and cook slowly. Serve hot with sliced papaya.  Seves 6.


Corn with Moringa Leaves

2 cup grated young corn                 1 small sponge gourd (luffa) or zucchini
2 cloves garlic                                 1 cup moringa leaves
1 head onion                                   1-1/2 tsp all purpose seasoning
3 cup water salt to taste

Preparation: Sautee garlic and onion in medium fry pan. Add water and let it boil. Then add the corn, stirring often to avoid burning. When cooked, add the gourd and moringa.

Vegetable Delight

1 cup pure coconut milk                              1 small pc ginger
1/3 cup pure coconut milk reserve                3 pcs bell pepper, green & red, quartered
1/2 cup moringa leaves                               1-2 Tblsp. cooking oil
1 onion bulb, sliced                                     1 head garlic, crushed                    
1 tsp. crushed black pepper                          3 tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup peas                                              8-10 string beans beans, quartered or 1 cup cubed yellow sweet potato

Preparation: Sautee garlic in oil until brown. Add onion. Transfer to unglazed cooking pot, then add 1 cup pure coconut milk, peas, yellow sweet potato and ginger. Boil until half done. Add bell peppers and tomatoes. Season with salt and crushed pepper. Add the rest of the coconut milk and moringa. Boil for 5 minutes, and serve.