Keerai Kootu Recipe
Spinach kootu or keerai kootu is a simple, vegan, South Indian recipe using spinach, yellow moong dal and coconut with some spices. It's a fantastic and healthy recipe to serve with rice for lunch along with rasam
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup yellow moong dal
- 5-6 cups chopped spinach, packed use any kind
- 1/2 cup cubed tomato optional
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
Grind with water to a smooth paste:
- 1/3 cup grated coconut thawed, if frozen
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds jeera
- 2 shallots pearl onions
- 2 flakes of garlic
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder adjust to taste
For tempering:
- 2 tsp oil or ghee for non-vegan version
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida hing or perungaayam
Instructions
- Wash the dal and add to a large cooking pot along with the spinach, chopped tomato (if using), turmeric, and 2 cups of water
- Simmer until the ingredients are cooked and soft. This takes about 10-12 mins on low flame. If not done, cook longer and add more water as required.
- Meanwhile, grind together coconut + shallots + garlic + red chilli powder + cumin seeds with some water to a smooth paste.
- Add this to the cooked dal mixture along with 1/2 cup water. Note that if the cooked dal is watery, you can skip adding more.
- Simmer for another 5 mins. Add salt as needed
- Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add hing and roast for 10 seconds.
- Add this tempering to the cooked kootu. Mix well.
- Serve hot with rice and rasam
Notes
See detailed notes and tips above to make the best spinach kootu!