Drumsticks

Drumsticks are the dangling seedpods of the Moringa oleifera tree, and they do indeed resemble drumsticks. Oil extracted from the seeds, ben seed oil, was once used in watchmaking and repair. Native to India, Moringa is now a common tree in the New World tropics, though sadly underused as a food source. Leaves, flowers, and seedpods can all be eaten. Philippine vendors sell bunches of leaves as malungay, but the seedpods are the real treat. Indian groceries and other specialty produce markets sometimes sell them. Though widely available at Indian markets, canned or frozen drumsticks can give you only a faint impression of the real thing.