Peeling a Drumstick

Question

What is the best way to peel a drumstick? How do I know when to stop? I find that a drumstick that's completely peeled disintegrates when cooked.

Answer 1

You scrape just the green stuff away. It doesn't disintegrate because you peel it completely; it disintegrates because you overcook it.

Answer 2

You don't peel drumstick. You cut it into sections (1" to 2" long or wheels, or 3" long pieces that are quartered lengthwise) and you scrape or suck the pulp and seed out after cooking and discard the outer skin.

If you peel it before cooking, it will turn to moosh. This is fine if you want to use it in a rice or dal dish, but not so great for sambar or a drumstick masala.

So the OP is exactly right - a drumstick that is completely peeled will disintegrate when cooked.

I know the original post is quite old by now, but the OP was exactly correct in his/her statement. At most, some people peel off just the high ridges.

Some citations:

http://sybaritica.me/2012/06/25/foodstuffs-drumstick-saijan/ http://www.drumsticksindia.com/aboutus/aboutus.htm

And the Vah Chef's recipe for Drumstick-Tomato curry. Watch the video. Those drumsticks are NOT peeled. Apparently I can only post 2 links so go to vahrehvah.com and then add /drumstick-tomato-curry at the end of the URL.

Watch the way he sucks the innards out of that drumstick at the end. That's how we cook and eat drumstick.

For Drumstick masala, we peel only the ridges off. If you peel it entirely it will fall apart. Go to youtube and look at various drumstick curry recipes. Nobody peels it all the way down for curry. You can see green skin left in the valleys between where the ridges were.