Sweet gourd, almond and plantain soup

Traditionally cooked in India with lentils, drumsticks – also known as horseradish tree or moringa – resemble very stiff long, thin cucumbers. Their ridged fibrous exterior needs to be peeled off, which is best done with a small sharp knife, as you would string runner beans. Sweet gourd resembles a ridged elongated cucumber. Its cousin, the bitter gourd, or kerala, needs to be salted before cooking to remove the bitterness, but sweet gourds are subtle and mellow You can replace the drumstic