Clean,peel and cut the suran into medium sized cubes, apply some salt and turmeric powder and keep aside
Clean the drumsticks, and cut into 2-3 inch-long batons, boil in just sufficient amount of salted water adding a few pinches of turmeric and keep aside
Clean, wash and cut the Malabar spinach stalks into 2 inch pieces
Gently roast the MASALA ingredients separately (except onion, garlic and rice flour) for a minute, do not over roast
Grind them to a smooth paste adding the scrapped coconut, chopped onion, garlic, and rice flour, 3-4 tablespoons of water may be added while grinding.
Heat oil in a deep vessel, add the chopped onion and saute for a minute or so
Add the cubed suran and saute for 1 -2 minutes, then add the Malabar spinach and saute again, add a little water and simmer for 5-7 minutes, then add the ground coconut-masala paste and 1 cup of water
Simmer on a low flame adding some salt and tamarind pulp
Add the boiled drumsticks and continue to simmer till the curry reaches desired consistency, neither too thick nor watery
Taste and adjust the seasoning and sourness to your taste
Make a vagar using 1 -2 teaspoons of oil, preferably coconut oil, a little chopped onion, methi seeds and curry leaves, you may add slit green chilies to make the curry spicy, pour the vagar over the curry, put a lid to retain the aroma, put off the flame
Serve with boiled red rice or millet rotis
Desi variety of big ladyfingers or Suran may be used in place of drumsticks, Malabar spinach may also be added if you desire
Tamarind can be replaced by “Kokam” or raw mango slices during season
** The curry can be made with just the drumsticks or with Malabar spinach and suran