Drumstick, known as moringa pods or saijan in many South Asian kitchens, brings a distinct fibrous texture and a mild, slightly sweet flavour that's built for slow simmering rather than quick cooking. The pods are long and ridged, and the real reward sits inside as soft flesh and seeds that release their flavour once the drumstick has cooked long enough to soften. In UAE kitchens, they turn up most often in sambar, a South Indian lentil stew where their subtle taste rounds out the tang of tamarind, or in a simple drumstick curry cooked with coconut and mustard seeds. Cooks typically cut the pods into three-to-four-inch lengths, simmer them until the outer skin gives way easily when pressed, and then eat by scraping the soft flesh out with the teeth, since the tough outer fibre isn't meant to be chewed.

Choose pods that snap cleanly rather than bend, a sign they're still fresh rather than starting to dry out. Store them in the refrigerator's vegetable drawer wrapped loosely, and try to use them within a few days, as drumsticks toughen and lose moisture quickly once cut from the tree.

QuicKart delivers drumstick fresh across the UAE with free delivery, so this sambar essential is always within reach.