Keerai Kootu with Dhal

Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 20 mins | Serves: 2

Keerai Kootu or Spinach Gravy with dhal and coconut is one of my most favorite food. I have mentioned in my previous post that I can eat kootu made with any vegetable or keerai. When I was in India I would pester my mom to make keerai most of the times and now I’m facing the same from my daughter. You know, this is how karma works!! She loves eating keerai kootu with piping hot rice topped with ghee. I have heard from many parents that their kids would avoid almost anything in green or choose one particular vegetable over the other. But, I’m lucky (touch wood) my daughter eats almost all the veggies that I make at home. Back in India, mom and mother in law used to prepare kootu with wide varieties of keerai (Ara Keerai, Mola Keerai, Ponnagani Keerai, Palak, etc.). But in US I just stick with Baby Spinach or Mixed Spring Greens mostly (they all come in big boxes) and very rarely I get to use mustard greens and beetroot greens (they are so yummy 😊). Alright, lets jump into the recipe of making keerai kootu 😊

Ingredients

Chopped Keerai/Spinach – 2 cup
Cooked Toor Dhal – 1/2 cup
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Water – 1/4 cup
Salt – as needed

To grind

Shredded Coconut – 1/2 cup
Jeera – 2 tsp
Pepper – 2 tsp
Water – as needed to grind

To Temper

Oil/Ghee – 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera – 1 tsp
Urad Dhal – 1 tsp
Red Chilli – 1
Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method

1. Pressure cook the dhal for 3 whistles and keep aside.
2. Grind the ingredients mentioned under “To grind” to a smooth paste.
3. In a sauce pan, add the chopped spinach along with 1/4 cup of water and cook it well.
4. Add salt, turmeric, ground paste and bring it to boil until raw smell goes away.
5. Now add the cooked toor dhal and cook for 5 mins on medium heat.
6. Temper it with the ingredients listed under “To Temper” and serve hot with steamed rice.

Tasty and delicious keerai Kootu is ready to be served. It can be paired up with Vatha Kuzhambu or can be mixed directly with Steamed rice topped with Ghee.

Links to Kuzhambu Recipes: Orange Peel Kuzhambu

Notes

1. You can add a pinch of baking soda to retain the color of Keerai. I haven’t added it this time.
2. If you feel your keerai kootu is slightly runny in consistency, add rice flour paste to the kootu and boil for sometime. Eventually the kootu will thicken up.