Mangalore Style Spicy Drumstick Curry – Nurge Gashie with step-wise picture recipe. Best side dish for hot rice, quick and simple drumstick curry recipe.
We have a huge drumstick/Moringa tree back home and every year during the peak season my mother-in-law harvests lots of Moringa pods/drumsticks and of course, we bring back a big batch. I clean them religiously, chop them and then freeze them to last us an entire year. In my opinion, South Indian cuisine is impossible to cook without the magic of drumstick/Moringa pods. I have already shared our household common recipes like Murungaikai Kara Kuzhambu, Murungaikai Sambar and today’s recipe is Nurge Gashie, a Mangalorean Style Spicy Drumstick Curry.
I made Nurge Gashie following a recipe from one of the cookbooks I own, don’t know how I missed this recipe for all these years. It is a special recipe from Mangalore – Konkani cuisine, and for me it is a very unique tasting dish. It is not like a sambar and neither is it a kuzhambu. One could make this as a spicy gravy, to serve as a side dish for rice or it could also be made as semi-thick curry as a side for any breakfast recipes like idli or dosa and even rotis.
The best part about Nurge Gashie is the fresh ground spice mix and coconut. It adds great flavor to the gravy and needless to say, with drumsticks adding their flavor – this spicy gravy is so delicious, even if I say so myself. I simply served this with some hot rice and ghee along with some special Nellai Style Potato Fry (recipe coming soon) and the dining table looked really happy – By the end of the meal, everything was licked off clean 😀 That’s how good it was! I am sure this will be a regular in my kitchen and do let me know if you give this a try 🙂
How to make Nurge Gashie | Mangalore Style Spicy Drumstick Curry –

Prep Time | 10minutes |
Cook Time | 30minutes |
Servings | people |
- 4Dried Red Chillies
- 1.5tbspCoriander Seeds
- 1/4tspMethi Seeds
- 1/2tspUrad Dal
- 1/4tspBlack Pepper
- 1/2tspCumin Seeds
- 1tspTamarind Paste
- 1/2cupCoconutChopped
- 12-15Drumstick Pieces2" in length
- 1tbspPowdered Jaggery
- 1Onion
- 1/2tspTurmeric Powder
- 1tbspOil
- 1/2tspMustard Seeds
- 1/2tspCumin Seeds
- 1/2tspUrad Dal
- Salt as needed
- Curry Leaves as needed
- Few Coriander Leaves
- Water as needed
Ingredients To make Nurge Gashie Spice Paste –
To make Nurge Gashie –
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- Cook drumstick pieces in ~2 cups of water along with turmeric powder.
- In a pan, dry roast all the ingredients (except coconut and tamarind paste) until golden brown.
- Once cooled down, grind into a smooth paste along with coconut and tamarind paste.
- Once the drumstick pieces are almost cooked, add salt as needed.
- Next add the prepared spice mixture along with jaggery. Mix well. Let the gravy come to boil on low flame.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal – as they splutter, add curry leaves.
- Next add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent.
- Add the tempering to the gravy along with finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with rice and ghee!
Detailed step-wise picture recipe of making Nurge Gashie | Mangalore Style Spicy Drumstick Curry –
1. Cook drumstick pieces in ~2 cups of water along with turmeric powder.
2. In a pan, dry roast all the ingredients (except coconut and tamarind paste) until golden brown.
3. Once cooled down, grind into a smooth paste along with coconut and tamarind paste.
4. Once the drumstick pieces are almost cooked, add salt as needed.
5. Next add the prepared spice mixture along with jaggery. Mix well. Let the gravy come to boil on low flame.
6. Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal – as they splutter, add curry leaves.
7. Next add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent.
8. Add the tempering to the gravy along with finely chopped coriander leaves.
9. Serve hot with rice and ghee!
Note –
- Adjust spices as per preference.
- Add water as need to make the gravy thick or watery.
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I love the Manglorean gravies loaded with coconut and spices. This looks so delicious
Totally agree with you Vidya 🙂 Thanks!
I love the sound of this dish! Bookmarking the recipe to try soon. I do have some drumsticks in my refrigerator! 😀
Do let me know how you liked it 🙂
Yum