Moringa's moment of glory!. “Hi, I am Moringa.”
By: Sujata Dehury
Tags: Moringa, Food Blog, Humour, Superfoods, Food Review

By Sujata Dehury

“Hi, I am Moringa!” The hand extended towards granny’s frail wrinkled self, anticipating a warm handshake. Granny still busy cleaning the rice, she has to put in the boiling water.

Aha! Who are you? Moringa could see granny is busy and isn’t even looking at her.

“I have come with a grievance this time.

Grievance? Granny shifted her attention from the rice and looked at the bunch of Sajana saga. The voice was coming from here.

“Don’t call me Sajana anymore. I am now world famous. I am a superfood sensation and people know me as Moringa.”

Revival Sutra is my instagram handle

Granny stops and gave her a perplexed look.

Moringa continued, “I am available in capsules now. New age, you see. How would your old, rustic self even understand me. See, your granddaughters and sons can keep me in their fancy handbags and just pop one every morning. ‘Morning with Moringa.’ It alliterates so well. In my new avatar, I have become accessible, easy. You walked me through difficult terrains.

And do you even realise how much business sense I make! You only kept me in your backyard and exploited me, without ever taking me anywhere else. You called me by funny nicknames like Sajana, Munga, Mugna and always kept me bored in a village. Hell, you even have a name for my brother. You call him “Chhuin.”. Seriously!

Did you know I have a name in Swahili! ‘Dawa Mboga’. Try to pronounce me now. You will be transported to Africa. Americans, Europeans are going gaga after me and showering the attention I truly deserved And all these years, you thought I only loved to grow in your backyard.

Moringa didn’t seem to stop and blew the trumpet longer. I have attained the status of 'Rocket' leaves now. Would you believe? I am superfood. You made me ordinary stuff that not even a cow bothered to look at. I am part of the global malnutrition mission. Imagine! My managers say an ounce of me has the calcium of four glasses of milk, vitamin C of a dozen oranges and the a bag fresh carrots. I have protein, iron and potassium. I am every vegan’s best friend now. I can single handedly throw the bundles of boring spinach from the refrigerator. How precious does it feel to know your self-worth! I am indeed more than a billion-dollar baby. I am a YouTube sensation and every dietician’s top recommend. Chew on that old woman!

Did you ever know you can sprinkle me on your salad or put me in your green juice or just make some sizzling pakodas. Why am I even saying this to you who never thought beyond pairing me with her fermented rice bowl!

Granny looked at Moringa with suspicion. She took a deep breath, bored after this long monologue. She yawned and adjusted her saree.

“Who told you I need capsules, juices and salads.” She picked up Moringa and hang her in air, gave a quick scan and took her to the work station. The kitchen.

Moringa greens cooked with roasted moong daal

“Come, I will show you how I have taken care of you. I kept your soul alive and didn’t make some tasteless, insipid stuff to make money. My love for you is real. I am not here to make money. You are an easy child. Somebody must have brainwashed you. Go and look in the mirror. You won’t find yourself. You are being used. Here, even the doctor advises pregnant women to take your help. You are iron, calcium and much more. Your blossoms are another luxury, available in limited editions.

How many people said, ‘Oh I love Moringa capsules?”

But, I can show you a world where people shower unconditional love to you. They love their Sajana Saga with chopped onion, garlic, with ridged gourd, in roasted moong daal or when cooked with a gorgeous grated coconut.

I make you sensual. Now you have become lifeless and claiming to be superfood. Trying to match rocket leaves! What is even that? Go, get a life. Else I will put your brother “Chhuin’ in the pickle jar and let you season there with tamarind and jujubes till nobody recognizes you anymore. I will smash your ego, using your own brother chhuin. Oops! Using drumsticks, put you in Alu-Badi-Besara, make your brother Chhuin a bhaja, put you in Sambhar or just make you look for your identity in a big pot of ghanta. You make a mighty pair with Pakhala. Don’t take granny’s knowledge too casually. Team up and don’t come to me next time in synthetic makeovers.

Text and pics by Sujata D