Drumstick Aloo Sabji or drumstick curry is a regular lunch and dinner item. I often make drumstick curry at home, and guess what? My family members enjoy eating it. I hope to pass the same vibes to you. Hence, let’s get started with today’s recipe. We will start with the basics.


Drumstick is popularly known as सहजन or सहजन की फली in Hindi and Gujarati, and we call it સરગવાની શીંગ. The best part about drumstick is that it is available throughout the year. Not only this, but it is ridiculously cheap compared to other vegetables sold in the local market.

The health benefits of drumsticks are indispensable. In addition, it is beneficial for digestive problems. Now that we have preliminary information about what we will cook let’s discuss the recipe.

Boiling The Vegetables

The recipe takes off with boiling the vegetables. We will use potato and green pigeon peas, aka tuvar dana, and drumsticks. That’s how I make drumstick curry at home. The combination of all three is delicious, and you will like it.

Boil drumsticks, potatoes, and green pigeon peas together. Cover and boil until drumsticks and potatoes are soft. If you are boiling in a pressure cooker, it will take 4-5 whistles. Without a pressure cooker, it will take around an hour. Remember, drumsticks take time to boil, although it looks slim and trim.

Once you are done boiling your veggies, drain the hot water. Keep boiled veggies aside because we will be using them in the gravy.

Making the Curry

The drumstick curry is a simple recipe that you can cook in no time. However, the cooking time doesn’t include boiling the vegetables. Hence, the overall cook time depends on how you boil the vegetables.

Making curry is the next and the final step after boiling veggies. For this, you need whole spices, masala powders and green masala. Here’s a small thing that could draw your attention. It’s the gram flour, aka besan.

Why do we need to add besan in drumstick curry?

The short answer is to make the gravy lachkedar. In other words, your gravy must not be watery; it must be thick and masaledar. To achieve this texture, you need besan. The reason why we are adding besan is due to its mellow taste. Additionally, besan doesn’t interfere with the overall taste. My point is gram flour enriches the taste instead of altering it completely.

The bottom line is don’t eliminate the gram flour. Another critical point is to cook gram flour properly so that the raw taste goes away. The kaccha besan ka swad will trigger your taste buds if not cooked thoroughly.

I guess we have covered a good amount of details about this recipe. Now let’s look into some helpful tips and queries. Read below.

Drumstick Curry Extra Shots

  • Select soft drumsticks. A hard one will give you a tough time while boiling.
  • Instead of adding raw gram flour, roast it. You will like the nutty flavour.
  • Avoid cooking cream, cashew paste, almond paste, and curd in this recipe.
  • Be careful while adding water. Always add water gradually as per the need.
  • After adding boiled vegetables and water, don’t cook on high flame. Just simmer.
  • Skip onion, ginger, and garlic if you want to make the Jain version.

Drumstick Curry FAQs

Can I swap cooking oil with butter or ghee?

Yes, you can make drumstick aloo sabji in both butter and ghee. However, ghee would be the most appropriate ingredient over butter. Let me know if you attempt doing it.

Can I make this recipe using coconut milk?

Yes, you can use coconut milk. I have done this. Refer to my drumstick curry with coconut milk recipe. Here you will find the entire process. Trust me, and you will love the coconut milk curry. It’s fantastic.

What other vegetables can I add with drumsticks?

Potatoes and green pigeon peas pair very well with drumsticks. On the contrary, you can even add boiled eggs instead of veggies. Refer to my drumstick egg masala curry for the recipe details.

How much time does this recipe take to cook?

The cook time is about half an hour, excluding the preparation time. Further, you will also need to count the boiling time of vegetables. If you have a pressure cooker, it will take approximately 45 minutes to cook.

Is drumstick curry spicy?

Nope, it is mildly spicy. The red colour of the gravy might make you feel this way, but it is because of the Kashmiri red chilli powder. Everyone in your family can eat it, and they will love it.