Keerai Kootu | Spinach with Dal Recipe

Spinach with dal has two healthy ingredients. It is cooked using spinach and moong dal. So I can strongly say it is a healthy recipe. I used red amaranthus(molai keerai) leaves for making this kootu whereas you can use any spinach variety. The recipe for spinach with dal is below...

Keerai Kootu

Recipe Cuisine: South Indian | Recipe Category: Side dish

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cooking Time: 30 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Spinach(I used red amaranthus leaves) - 1 bunch
Moong dal/ Paasi Paruppu - 1/4 cup
Tomato - 1
Green chilli - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Small onion - 5
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 1 tblspn

To grind:

Coconut - 1/4 cup
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Rice flour - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Take moong dal, tomato, slitted green chillies, turmeric and salt. Pressure cook for 4 whistles on medium flame or till it is cooked. Once pressure subsides, mash the dal and keep aside.

Grind coconut, cumin, chilli powder and rice flour into a smooth paste adding little water.

Chop the spinach and cook adding 1 cup of water. When the leaves wilts, add the cooked dal, ground paste and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from flame.

Heat oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, chopped small onions and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the cooked spinach.

Serve with hot rice.

Notes:

• I used red amaranthus leaves. You can use any.

Pictorial:

Keep all your ingredients ready. Coconut is missing in the above picture

Take moong dal, tomato, slitted green chillies

turmeric, salt and enough water. Pressure cook for 4 whistles on medium flame or till it is cooked.

Chop the spinach and cook adding 1 cup of water. Do not cover and cook the spinach. I used red amaranthus leaves. You can use any spinach

Once pressure subsides, mash the dal and keep aside.

Take coconut, cumin, red chilli powder and rice flour in a blender

Grind it to a smooth paste adding little water

Now, the leaves started to wilt

Add in cooked moong dal

Add the ground coconut paste

Cook for 5 minutes and remove from flame

Heat oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds, urad dal, chopped small onions and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the cooked spinach.

Serve with hot rice!