Keerai Koottu Recipe

I have made it a habit to make greens atleast once a week. Palak/ Spinach, arai keerai, mulai keerai, murungai keerai are the ones I make regularly. I either make keerai sundal / keerai kootu. If making arai keerai I make arai keerai plain masiyal. Also agathi keerai is another dish I make on dwadasi. When making keerai koottu I use two methods. I have presented both here. You could use any.  Also these two types are applicable for all koottu varieties.

TYPE I

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4

Ingredients

Palak / Mulai Keerai - 2 small bunches / 1 large bunch
Soda - a pinch (helps keerai retain its green colour)
Salt - To taste
Turmeric - a pinch
Moong / Masoor Dal - 2 tbsp

For Seasoning

Ghee - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

For Grinding

Urad Dal - 1 tbsp
Coconut - 5 tbsp
Pepper - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli - 2

Procedure

1. Wash the keerai well, remove the yellow leaves and chop the keerai very finely.
2. Pressure cook the dal and set aside
3. Dry roast and grind the items given under (For grinding) into a smooth paste.
4. Pressure cook the keerai with salt and turmeric powder
5. To the cooked keerai, add the ground paste and the dal and some more water if required, to suit your consistency preference and allow to boil
6. Finally, heat ghee in a pan, when hot, add the mustard, urad dal, curry leaves and asafoetida
7. Mix well and serve with sambar rice / rasam rice / vathalkuzhambu.

TYPE II

Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Cooking Time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4

Ingredients

Palak / Mulai Keerai - 2 small bunches / 1 large bunch
Salt - To taste
Turmeric - a pinch
Moong / Masoor Dal - 2 tbsp

For Seasoning

Ghee - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

For Grinding

Green Chillies - 4 / 5
Coconut - 5 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Procedure

1. Wash the keerai well, remove the yellow leaves and chop the keerai finely.
2. Pressure cook the dal and set aside
3. Grind the items given under (For grinding) into a smooth paste.
4. Pressure cook the keerai with salt and turmeric powder.
5. To the cooked keerai, add the ground paste and the dal and some more water if required, to suit your consistency preference and allow to boil
6. Finally, heat ghee in a pan, when hot, add the mustard, urad dal, curry leaves and asafoetida
7. Mix well and serve with sambar rice / rasam rice / vathalkuzhambu.