Keerai Kootu

Keerai Kootu :

            Keerai Kootu is the easiest way of preparing spinach, since we pressure cook it. And this kootu can be prepared with all types of keerai except murungai keerai (drumstick leaves) and agathi keerai. It is a best combination for hot rice with ghee. We used to have this in Nandhini hotel, Bangalore. Since it is not too spicy, kids will love this and ofcourse good for health. And add spinach two times a week in your food especially during summer days to reduce the body heat.

Potato chops

Potato Chops:

Raw Banana Fry / Vazhakai Varuval:

Ingredients:

To Dry Roast & Grind:

• 1 tbsp Corainder seeds
• 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp   Aniseeds (sombu)
• 1 tbs  Pottukadalai
• 7 Dry  red chillies

To Fry:

• 2 Raw bananas
• 5 Garlic pieces
• 1/4 Cup of Onions chopped
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 3 tsp Oil
• 2 tsp Coconut oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tbs grinded masala powder.

To cook Banana:

• 1/4 Cup of Buttermilk
• 1 Cup of Water
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

  Preparation:

   Pressure cook the raw bananas with buttermilk,water,salt,turmeric powder upto 1 whistle and turnoff.
Peel the skin and cut into slices.

In a pan,add oil ,mustard seeds,once it gets popped add the chopped onions and fry.
After a few secs, add the crushed garlic and add the masala and fry until the raw smell goes.

Now add the chopped raw bananas  to it and cook covered for 5mins in medium flame.(take care not to break the pieces.)

Then add coconut oil and fry in a high flame for 2-3 mins and serve it with sambar rice/curd rice.

Peas Masala / Pattani Masala

Ingredients:

      GreenPattani (dry) - 250 gms(soaked overnight in water)
      3   Coconut  pieces
      1  Tomato chopped
      3tsp   Cumin seeds     
      3tsp   Red chilli powder
      1/2 tsp Garam masala
      1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
      Salt  & water as needed
     1tbs GingerGarlic paste
     2tsp Oil
     1 tsp Ghee

Preparation:
   
       In the pressure cooker add the green peas with some water and pinch of salt. Set the flame to medium - high and keep the cooker with whistle.Leave it for 7-8 mins and switch off the flame and take the cooker from the stovetop.( Do not over cook the peas)
 
        In a nonstick pan add 2tsp of oil and then ginger garlic paste, when the raw smell goes add chopped    tomatoes and salt .Cover the pan with lid to get the toamtoes mashed and seperates the oil .
 

   Then add all masalas - garam masala,red chilli powder,turmeric powder and fry for a while then add the cooked peas to it with that water and leave the pan covered for 5 mins.

                              

    Meanwhile grind the coconut pieces with cumin seeds to a fine paste with little water and add this to the peas masala.Let it cook for 5mins in low flame.Add a tsp of ghee now.

      All the masalas are now coated to the peas and gives a good taste.Serve this with chapatis or with ghee rice.

                                              

Keerai masiyal / Keerai Kadayal / Spinach dal :

                   This is a traditional version ,learned from my grandma. She used to mash the keerai in the mud pot ,which gives a real taste .But now in modern days we use mixie or food processor to mash spinach that results in a little difference in taste. Here’s my method that gives more or less the same texture and taste as my grandma’s.



Ingredients:

1. Spinach – 1 bunch ( I used baby spinach (Paalak Keerai) )----(U can try sirukeerai or araikeerai  if u can get from Indian stores )
2. ½ cup  split green gram dal ( Siru paruppu / pasiparuppu )
3. 5 Garlic gloves  - Peeled & roughly crushed
4. 15  Onion shallots  ( or ½ red onion ) – peeled & chopped smaller
5. 5-6  green chillies  ( Thai chilli)
6. 1 Red chilli dry ( for seasoning)
7. 1 big size tomato
8. Few Tamarind pieces (Or u can add few drops of tamarind paste )
9. Salt to taste
10. Water ( as required)
11. 1 pinch of turmeric powder
12. 1 pinch of asafoetida powder
13. 3 tsp –Cumin seeds       
14. 1 tsp – mustard seeds
15. Few Curry leaves

Procedure:

         This is a 3 step process.

First is to cook dal & spinach 

Second is to make onion ,tomato paste  

Third is to mash & Seasoning

• Take a heavy bottomed pan and add the dal, 1 tsp of cumin and fry it dry for 2 mins in medium flame until it gets a nice flavor – U can see the shining color of the dal.     

                              

                                 

• Then add 1 1/2 cup of water, pinch of turmeric powder, asafetida powder and 2 garlic crushed and set the flame to high. Let it boil for 10 mins. (stir dal & cook uncover )

                                              

• Meanwhile take the spinach and wash it under water and drain and cut in to medium pieces.
• If u r using siru keerai /araikeerai, U may go for additional procedure of separating leaves and tender stems and then wash it thoroughly and drain the spinach. And now cut the spinach roughly in to medium pieces. (Don’t wash the spinach after u cut it, that will lose some of its minerals & vitamins.)
• Once ur dal is half done, (after the water in the dal is absorbed and dal quantity increased) add the spinach to it and sprinkle some water to cook. Cover the pan with lid and simmer the flame for 5-7 mins. Check for the water in between and sprinkle some more water if u need . (Don’t pour water ,b’coz u’ll get water from the spinach while cooking and also salt naturally )

     

                         

• Now take other fry pan with 2 tsp oil  and add green chilles chopped , and then onion shallots chopped ( leave 2tsp of chopped onion for tempering)  fry it until the colour changes  - that will take not more than 5 mins  ( if u r using red onion it will take few more mins to cook )
• Then add chopped tomatoes to it and add salt, and close lid for a while to get ur tomatoes mashed and turn off .

                                             

• The spinach cooking with dal will be done at this time. Check the spinach piece by mashing it with ur fingers, if  the stem is so soft and getting mashed easily ,then its done. Note that the color of the spinach should not change.( The change of color indicates that u had overcook it) Now add the fried onion,tomato mixture to it  and leave it for 2 mins on stove and turn off. Transfer the content to a wide mouthed bowl to cool or place under the fan .

 

• Take the biggest mixie jar and transfer the keerai with the tamarind. Start the mixie in pulse mode (0) for only a few(1-2) seconds. U can see the dal &spinach are getting  mashed and resulting a greenish pale yellow gravy. We use mud pot to mash the keerai in our home(India).

• Now the time for seasoning..,add few drops of oil in a fry pan  and add mustard seeds,once it gets popped,add the cumin seeds ,remaining crushed garlic and  chopped onions and curry leaves and a red chilli. After 2 mins u can get ur seasoning ready ,and pour it to the keerai masiyal .