Keerai Kootu

Kootu has become my favourite since past few months. It is simple to prepare and also has the goodness of dal and vegetables/ greens. It is very tasty even with just ghee rice, papad and pickle. Most of our Saturday lunch goes for a simple rasam with kootu. It is so easy to make; comforting and filling too!

Ingredients

1 cup toor dal (or any dal mix of your choice)

2 cups tightly packed spinach leaves (or any other greens)

1/4 ts turmeric powder

1-2 ts sambar powder (depending on taste)

To grind

3 tbs grated coconut

1 ts cumin seed

Grind them to a smooth paste  with very little water.

For tempering

1 ts mustard seed

1/2 ts urad dal

Few  curry leaves

1/4 ts hing

2 red chillies

Preparation

- Pressure cook toor dal with enough water and a pinch of turmeric powder for 2-3 whisltes. It should be soft but not very mushy.

- Add the roughly chopped spinach leaves, sambar powder, enough salt and pressure cook for just a whistle. Release the air immediately and uncover the lid. (Kootu tastes best when the sambar powder is prepared fresh)

- Add the ground coconut paste now, mix well and allow the contents to boil.

- Reduce the flame to a simmer and let it cook for a while until the dal is thickened considerably.

- Meanwhile heat oil in a small skillet. Temper the oil with mustard seed, urad dal, curry leaves, hing and red chillies.

- Pour them over the dal and give a good mix. Take out out in a serving bowl.