Vendhaya Keerai Sambar | Fresh Greens Sambhar | Pressure Cooker Recipe

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Vendhya Keerai sambar, a quick and easy pressure cooker recipe made with fresh fenugreek or methi leaves and toor dal. Let's see How to make Keerai Sambar.

Quick and easy sambar recipe | Keerai recipe | Spinach Recipe | Brahmin style keerai sambar recipe | Tamilnadu style keerai sambar | How to make keerai sambar in pressure cooker | How to include keerai in everyday meals | Weekday Lunch thali | Easy Lunch ideas | Simple vegetarian thali ideas | Fresh Greens Everyday | Greens in my plate

Jump to:

• Keerai | Fresh Greens Recipes
• Methi Leaves : Aroma Heaven
• Vendhaya Keerai Sambar | Tamarind Gravy
• Expert Tip : How to adjust Watery Sambar?
• More Lunch Thali Series
• The Ingredients to make Keerai Sambar
• Step by Step instructions to make Vendhaya Keerai Sambar
• More Sambar/Tamarind base Gravies
• Today's Lunch Thali
• Keerai Sambar | Spinach Sambhar | Cooker Recipe

Keerai | Fresh Greens Recipes

Keerai is the Tamil word for leafy greens. In English, we use one word: greens. However, in most Indian languages,it is called by its specific name.

Today's recipe is Vendhaya Keerai Sambar, Fresh methi/fenugreek leaves sambar. This keerai sambar can be substituted with other fresh greens too.

Usually Keerai kootu and Keerai curry are most often made dish in South-Indian Kitchen. At home, kootu and rasam is our favorite lunch combo. Check out that lunch thali combo .

Methi Leaves : Aroma Heaven

We get fresh methi all year around. The aroma of fresh methi leaves is something to be experienced. I love using fresh methi often like this Aloo methi dal and aloo methi cutlet.

Dried fenugreek or kasuri methi is widely used a final touch to most of the side dishes. Like this Paneer capsicum subzi, dubki wale aloo. I even add it to mixed rice recipes, it gives such an amazing aroma to the dishes.

We don't make fried food often. However, once in a while, we prepare this aromatic methi poori with hariyali aloo for breakfast. This happens especially on weekends when kids ask for poori.

This baked mathri is another versatile snack with a dose of dried fenugreek. Usually deep-fried, it can now be air-fried or baked and made healthy.

We make a delish morekuzhambu with fresh methi leaves, yogurt gravy with fresh fenugreek leaves. This delish gravy pairs so well with paruppusli, lentil crumble.

Vendhaya Keerai Sambar | Tamarind Gravy

Keerai can also be made in to sambar like any other vegetables. This delicious purslane leaves/paruppu keerai sambar is my personal favorite.

The only thing to note while making keerai sambar is the amount of liquid you add . Fresh keerai releases water. Be watchful with the liquid, or else you will end up with watery sambar.

Expert Tip : How to adjust Watery Sambar?

If your sambar turns watery, do not panic.

Case 1 : Sambar watery, No aroma, No spice.

• Grind a teaspoon besan with ½ teaspoon of coriander seeds and 1-2 red chili to a fine paste. Add this to the sambar, Mix well.
• Let it come to a boil in medium flame. Besan helps to thicken the sambar, coriander seeds add that missing aroma and chili balances the spice.
• Finally add a tadka with hing/asafoetida, curry leaves. 1 red chili and ¼ teaspoon methi seeds.

Case 2 : Sambar watery, Spice & aroma perfect.

• Whisk a teaspoon of besan into ¼ cup water until smooth. Slowly drizzle the mixture into the sambar, stirring continuously, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Besan should be whisked smooth, or else you will end up with lumps in sambar. Use a electric stirrer if you have. Good old whisk helps too.
• Finally add a tadka with hing/asafoetida, curry leaves. 1 red chili and ¼ teaspoon methi seeds.

More Lunch Thali Series

The Ingredients to make Keerai Sambar

• Fresh Greens, I have used methi leaves/fenugreek leaves for the sambar. You can also use amaranth, paruppu keerai, ponanganni, etc.
• Toor dal/split pigeon peas is mostly used to make sambar in south-indian household. You can also use masoor or moong dal.
• Masala paste. I have used a fresh masala paste with coconut. It includes sambar powder, coriander seeds, and curry leaves to flavor the Keerai sambar today.
• Tempering, regular tempering ingredients like mustard seeds, hing, and methi seeds is used in the recipe.

Step by Step instructions to make Vendhaya Keerai Sambar

Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions

• I have used 3 bunches of fresh methi leaves for the recipe. Chop the root portion off, and roughly chop the rest of the methi leaves and wash it water well. Drain and keep it aside.
• Wash and soak toor dal in water for 10 minutes.
• In a spice grinder/small mixie jar, take fresh coconut, sambar powder, fresh coriander leaves, ginger, coriander seeds and tamarind. Grind this to a paste with enough water.

• Heat a pressure cooker with oil, splutter mustard seeds, hing, methi seeds. Add chopped tomatoes, saute for a minute. Add chopped methi leaves.
• Drain excess water from toor dal and add it to the cooker. Add the ground masala. Wash the blender with 1 cup of water and add it to the cooker.
• Add required salt, turmeric powder and another 1 cup of water to this. Mix well. Close the cooker and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
• Let the pressure fall on its own. Open the cooker, mix well and serve it warm with rice and curry.

More Sambar/Tamarind base Gravies

Today's Lunch Thali

Enjoy this healthy, nutritious keerai sambar with rice/quinoa. I served this along with

• Steaming hot Rice/quinoa, with ghee
• Cauliflower curry
• rasam