Kootu is a dal based curry, cooked with veggies. Here I used chinese spinach/Amaranth Greens (Mulai keerai) to make this kootu. This is a authentic simple and delicious Tamil recipe which requires very less oil and it is a easy recipe for bachelors to cook. From childhood, I love to eat greens(keerai). But I miss a lot of keerai variety in US like ponnaganni keerai, sirukeerai, agathi keerai and murangakeeerai. Both Me and my husband love keerai kootu a lot. I make this kootu everyweek for lunch. Very satisfying and comforting food to enjoy for lunch along with some kara kuzhumbu or sundal kulambu, rice and appalam. You can follow the same recipe for mulaikeerai kootu, sirukeerai kootu or ponnakannikirai kootu.Try this Mulai keerai kootu recipe for lunch and stay healthy.
Ingredients
1 Bunch (2 Cups) of Red Spinach / Pasalai Keerai
5 Small Onions (Shallots)
1 Tsp of Sambhar Powder
1/2 Tsp of Black Pepper Powder
Salt and Water as Needed
To Pressure Cook
1/2 Cup of Yellow Moong Dal
1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
Pinch of Asafoetida(Hing)
1/2 Tsp of Oil
1/2 Tsp of Salt
To Grind
2 Tbsp of Freshly Grated Coconut
1/2 Tsp of Whole Cumin
To Temper
1.5 Tsp of Oil
1 Tsp of Mustard Seeds
3/4 Tsp of Urad Dal
1/8 Tsp of Fenugreek Seeds
1/2 Tsp of Whole Cumin
1 Red Chilly
1 Sprig of Curry Leaves
Method
- Wash the greens and chop them into finely.
- In a mixie(blender), add coconut and cumin, grind it to a smooth paste.
- Soak the moong dal for 30 mins. Wash and drain the water. In a pressure cooker, add all the ingredients listed under "To pressure cook", close the lid and cook it for 2 whistles. Keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a pan, add all the ingredients listed under " To Temper" list add one by one, after mustard seeds sizzles and urad dal and red chilly changes color, add chopped onion, fry until it turns golden brown, then add chopped keerai, fry them for a min, add 1/4 cup of water, cover and cook it for 2 mins. Add the ground mixture, sambhar powder and pepper powder, fry well with keerai for 1-2 mins. Finally add the cooked moong dal and required salt, mix well. Cover and cook it for 5 mins in a medium flame until semi -thick in consistency.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and ghee.
Tips
- Use any type of keerai like araikeerai, thandukeerai or ponnagani keerai.
- Use toor dal or chana dal in place of yellow moong dal.
- You can use big red onion in place of small onions.
Health Benefits of Amaranthus Leaves
- Rich source of vitamin A, C and folate.
- It has good source of amino acid like lysine, which is limited in other grains.
- Prevents hair loss and greying.
- Reduces cholesterol and prevents the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- It boosts the immune system.
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