Spinach Dal / Keerai Paruppu Kootu!!!

Hi guys!!!

The weather has been moody on and off right from the beginning of this week and that has just made me absolutely lazy. I just try to cook dishes that require minimum effort. This keerai paruppu kootu is one such dish. It can be prepared in a very short period and tasted great with rice and rotis. Also, it turns out to be a good alternative to the regular masiyal or poriyal form of the spinach we usually prepare.

This dish is generally prepared with Methi leaves. But any other keerai variety can be used too. Now lets see the recipe.

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Spinach - a bunch
Garlic - 3 cloves
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1
Green chillies - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

For tadka:
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a small bunch

Procedure:

1. Pressure cook the dal along with turmeric powder and salt. Use about 1 1/2 cups of water and cook for about 15 minutes under pressure and mash it well and keep it ready.
2. Wash and chop the spinach leaves. Heat oil in a vessel and add chopped onions, garlic and green chillies and saute till they are cooked.
3. Now add the tomato and keep mixing till it combines with onion and forms a pulp.
4. Next add the chopped spinach and saute till the leaves wilt. Finally add the mashed dal and a little water and adjust salt if needed.
5. Heat oil in a separate kadai and add all the ingredients required for tadka and add it into the prepared kootu and switch off heat.

Serve hot with rice and papad or rotis!!!