Keerai Kootu | Spinach Dal | South Indian Lunch #2
Keerai kootu, a simple dal made with fresh amaranth leaves and homemade spice powder. A delicious side for rice and roti.
Servings 5
Calories
Ingredients
- 2 bunches Amaranth leaves, roughly chopped approximately 3-4 cups of chopped leaves
- ½ cup masoor dal split red lentils
- ¼ cup moong dal split yellow lentils
- 1 no small tomato
- 1½ teaspoon Kootu podi
- ¼ cup freshly grated coconut
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
Tempering
- 2 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds/kadugu
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera
- 1 no green chili cut into two
- ⅛ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
Instructions
- Take both the dals together. Wash them twice in water. Soak them in water for 10 minutes.
- Wash and chop amaranth leaves roughly. I have used 2 bunches of amaranth leaves. I just cut off the root portion and chop the entire thing along with stem and leaves roughly.
- Heat a pressure cooker with oil, once hot, splutter mustard seeds, add green chili, hing and finally cumin seeds. To this tempering, add chopped tomatoes and sauté for a minute.
- To this sautéed tomato, add chopped amaranth leaves and sauté. Add drained dal, along with 3 cups of water.
- Add kootu podi, grated coconut, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well.
- Close the pressure cooker and pressure cook for 4 whistles. Let the pressure fall on its own.
- Open the pressure cooker, mix well and serve the keerai kootu hot with rice. This delicious keerai kootu can also be packed as lunch to office and school.