Keerai kootu recipe, a south Indian kootu is a part of south Indian Tamil lunch menu, served as accompaniment for rice. Stepwise pictures recipe.
I love kootu varieties,especially the way my mom does it!! One of her best kootu is Mixed veg kootu, I call it as sakalakalaa kootu😃. Me and my brother used to ask for second and third servings if she makes it and most of the time there will not be anything in the bowl for herself! Next to that kootu,keerai kootu is is the one i love,I can say,have I never tasted a better kootu than my mom’s!( I know this dialogue will be the most heard one😉)
Keerai means spinach, in India, we get variety of keerai. Commonly it can be told as amaranth leaves for better understanding. But in Tamil nadu, we get a huge variety of keerai, which I get confused to identify which is what. Arai keerai, mulai keerai, siru keerai are the three similar keerai which look similar but different varieties. I have here used mulai keerai. Some call thandu keerai too.
I have got requests as well as for my own reference, to update these three keerai varieties. But in singapore, we get only mulai keerai nearby which I buy. So I did not get an opportunity to update. All my India trips are shorter and packed with plans, so fail to get pictures from there too.
When my friend sangeeta left Singapore,I called her for lunch and this was in my menu….Her daughter and herself liked it very much,she gave her daughter, kootu with parata too and she said it was tasting good with that too. And I can say I am posting this for her and also it will help so many beginners!!
Keerai kootu recipe
Ingredients
- 2 small bunches Keerai/ Amaranth leaves I used Mulai keerai with stem
- ¼ cup moong dal/ Paasi paruppu
- 1 tsp Sambar powder
- ⅛ tsp Turmeric powder
- salt As needed
- Sugar a pinch
To grind:
- ¼ cup Coconut grated
- ½ tsp Rice flour
- water little to grind
To temper:
- 2 tsp Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard
- 1 tsp Urad dal
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 Shallots/ small onion
Instructions
- Remove the root part of the keerai, check for any yellow leaves, infested leaves and take it out.
- Wash twice or thrice in plenty of water as there will be sand/ dirt. Keep aside for the water to drain. Chop the keerai finely,with stem.
- Meanwhile, pressure cook moong dal and grind the coconut and keep aside.
- Boil a cup of water,vadd turmeric, sambar powder, salt, sugar, followed by the chopped leaves.
- Turn/ stir the leaves after a minute to ensure even cooking.
- Cook till the stems are cooked well and then add the cooked,mashed moong dal and stir well.
- Grind coconut with rice flour and little water to a paste. Add the ground coconut mixture to cooked keerai.
- Mix well,bring to boil. Switch off the stove.
- Temper with the items given in the To Temper table in order.
Notes
- Adding sugar helps in retaining green. Adding a tiny pinch cooking soda also helps in retaining the green colour. Make sure it is aluminium free cooking soda.
- After adding dal, stir often as it might get burnt at the bottom.
- add more shallots/ small onions if its too tiny.
- Do not add rice flour more than mentioned.
- Instead of sambar powder, use red chilli powder or green chilli along coconut.
Keerai kootu method:
- Remove the root part of the keerai, check for any yellow leaves, infested leaves and take it out.
- Wash twice or thrice in plenty of water as there will be sand/ dirt. Keep aside for the water to drain. Chop the keerai finely,with stem. Meanwhile, pressure cook moong dal and grind the coconut and keep aside.
- Boil a cup of water,vadd turmeric, sambar powder, salt, sugar, followed by the chopped leaves.Turn the leaves after a minute to ensure even cooking.
- Cook till the stems are soft and add cooked moong dal, stir well.
- Grind coconut with rice flour and little water to a paste. Add the ground coconut mixture to cooked keerai.
- Mix well,bring to boil. Switch off the stove.
- Temper with the items given in the To Temper table in order.
Brown the onions nicely which is very important to enhance the flavor of the kootu. Mix well and serve as an accompaniment or mix this with ghee and rice,tastes heavenly!
Updated Picture
I love the colour…excellent with rice
thank u so much raji.keerai kootu loks excellent. adding roasted onions is new o me. Will suely send entries to ur event
healthy dish raks…nice colour…will definitely send entries to ur event
hi Raji,
LOL …at the sakalakala kootu …lol that sounds so cute n funny 😉
Hmmm…I love greens and love them in dals 🙂 Thanks for the recipe with step by step pics.
WOW! I love the logo of the even ..lol it really is so cweet:)
it's a fab theme!! and wishing u loads of fun hosting the event!
TC
wow there is no tomato or tamarind in this kootu great since I don't eat pulippu on Friday s this will be a great choice for me simply superb and thank you so much for this delicious recipe looks great. And coming to your event great idea happy hosting will send some sure.
Nice theme Raji. Keerai kootu looks delicious!
Kootu looks yumm..Iam not making it nowadays..Just kadaiyal i make..Have to do and c whether raksha eats it..Nice theme..Will send in something for sure..Happy hosting !!
Hey awesome clicks and recipe ..
Thanks for hosting such a wonderful event .Will surely try something .
Btw ..Thanks for ur lovely [email protected] blog .
Hey Haven't decided yet ..plz suggest me dear which one should i ?
Awesome pictures…love the color of the kootu…Happy hosting 🙂
Heartwaaarming Koottu, with lovely pics as usual…One of my husban'd favourites..
Event announcement pathu ooodddi vanthen…4 course treat..:( …hosting guests.. :((..namma pangu koncham kashtam than…
I loved the kootu….
Awesome event. I have to post something…
Hey Raji …Thanks soo much for ur help ..Planing to send 1 st one ..Thanks soo much dear ..:)
Oh wow…..that's an awesome recipe…..never tried with moong dal and coconut….looks yum….
Coming to event….sounds gr8…will have to wait for the guest…hehehehe….
have something for u if time permits,..:-)hppy hosting,..
looks soo delicious and perfect…
Lovely theme.. happy hosting dear!!
Lovely Kootu, very beautiful photographs. Will definitely send entries for the event.
The fried onions on top is such a fabulous idea and keerai kootu is my favorite. Have not made it with sambar powder before.
Lovely kootu….. Nice green color…
Awesome event!!! Will definitely try to send entries to your event…….
Love that tadka with fried onions! Looks great!
Colorful&healthy dish!awesome pics
as usual!
Happy hosting dear!!!
this sounds yummo, raji. never tried this version before. hope i can participate in your event and send in some entries.
damn! i just cooked for people weekend before last and all the recipes are in my blog but i dont have a final pic 🙁 i hardly ever entertain either..
sigh.. nice idea for an event though..
Gorgeous Kootu! looks toooo tempting. Nice event! Happy hosting 🙂
Vibrant and pretty pics. And happy hosting the event.
Wow! you have taken the humble jeerai kootu to another level with the addition of coconut and the onion tempering! Great recipe!
nice recipe .. & a nice event too. Happy hosting dear
Lovely kootu…what a great event dear…will definitely help us to get some ideas….
Wow looks so yummy. nice click.
What great pics Raks..cant stop drooling..I hav tried this with toor dal but not with moong dal..will do tat next time..n this sambar powder always confuses me..u have alink of it here?else could u please share it with us?
..n I have something coming up for the event..!:)
Nice click dear!! u r really patient enough to take step by step pics ..
Lovely Dish
Nice picture Raks..This is my favourite kootu too. 🙂 Reg the event, if there are no guests during the event duration, I can't participate in the event, is it???? 🙁
healthy kootu…..nice event
Thanks for clarifying my doubt reg the vent Raks..I have been planning to make an elaborate meal for the family eversince I bought "dinner menus" mini book series by tarla dalal..Now, definitely I will make it atleast to participate in the event. 🙂
i loved keerai kootu, looks soooo good! nice idea for event, i'll be entertaining few guests in august so the timing is perfect!
Awesome click as usual Raji… Do you use a SLR camera. I am thinking of buying one too..
Wow nice header…..
Any dish with greens is tempting to me… Looks awesome!
this looks very nice!! Love the theme of your event will try and send in something!
Hi Raji,
Please accept your award from my blog
Regards,
Hema.
Dish looks very healthy with all the greens.Have fun hosting 🙂
nice color……looks great
lovely green kootu. Have aproper menu for the event. will send for the event.
Great event,It will help most of us as we tend to be in a dilemma of what to cook when guests arrive.
Kootu looks delicious. I normally will not add rice powder, should try next time.
the kootu looks great! the pics look amazing.
I very much miss this leafy vegetable here…nice if could get a bowl of it for my dinner
Kootu looks mouth-watering!!!
Hi Raji , Please collect the award from my blog .
Loved the recipe & the colour …Very nice …
Count on my entry too. I am visiting your blog first time and will return again.
Do find time to dig into my space and leave me a note.
hi raks…i have nominated u for the kreativ blogger award as i feel u truely deserve this as u got a really lovely blog….pls collect it from my blog…
Delicious kootu.. Even i love it..! Yummy!
Guess that..I saw ur announcement at the right time..am expecting some guests next week..so most probably u will get my entry soon
Hey gal how r u? Yup am back…tell u the story later ;)..inbtw kootu looks so gud and wow your event…cool ma
Raj, i really loved that seasoning! 🙂
very nice event.I'll surely try for it
Hi there,
First time on your blog and that sounds like a really nice event..Thoughtful as it would give n ideas for cooking for guests…Will def submit my entries…
Shobha
And not to forget your Keerai Kootu looks yumm and tempting!
Hey…would love to participate…but have a tiny doubt…i have the starter and dessert not in the same picture…and they are not indian dishers…it is ok?
Kootu is my fav and appetizing keerai kootu 🙂
just had guests last evening..have individual pics but not together,,too bad i cany take part..will c next time!
looking forward to the round trip 🙂
Nice theme and kottu looks delicious…
Waiting for the round up…
Just dropped in my entry….
Just dropped in my entry….
Nahiiiin!I don't have any pictures of whole spread. I don't have many guests first place. And by the way nice kootu 🙂 Come, participate in my event!
love the pics! healthy kootu! yummm
Hi Raks,
Some of the traditional recipes in your "Raks" blogspot Rocks!!
I tried this Koorai Kootu with one variety of thandu keerai we get here in the US (not sure of the Keerai's name).
It simply tasted awesome. We as a family had it mixed with rice, as a side for chappatis and it was very good. Thanks for this recipe.
I think the trick is adding ground coconut+rice flour and brown roasted onions. Yum!
Raji, I tried dis yummy kootu:) so tasty:) no tamarind…no tomato..still so tasty:) could do it in minutes:) nice option for spinsters lik me:) thank u:) I decided to try many more!!!
Thank you for the feedback 🙂
please can you tell me what is this KEERAI and MOLAI keerai i would like to make eat assoon as possible by look only i cant resist leaving the receipe page can you answer my comment.
THANKYOU
You are the Mother if all Recipes … Love u Sis … God Bless You !!!
What do i say.. im speechless… your recipies are the ultimate….. i cant thank u enuff.. tried this recipie.. simply loved this stuff. the best part is my 8 month old baby who usually prefers/ has a sweet tooth was literally licking this curry.. he he he
I LIKED THE PICTURE AND THE RECEIPE SEEING ONLY I FELL LIKING EAT IT LOOKS SO VERY VERY TASTY BUT TO TELL YOU I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IS KEERAI KOTTU WHICH VEGETABLE IS IT I KNOW ITS GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLE BUT I STAY IN GOA SO WHAT ITS THE OTHER NAME FOR IT PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW. I HAD MAILED BUT YOU DIDNT REPLY PLEASE DO REPLY NOW. SORRY FOR TROUBLE AND THANKS A LOT FOR SHARING YOUR RECEIPE.
Hi Rena, it is Amaranth leaves. Let me know if you still having trouble in figuring out the spinach.
Thank you so is it spinach? OR Amarnath leaves n spinach are same? Some one from here told me it might be bachala its like creeper n leaves are like money plant but thin n green in colour. so please do reply to my mail n thank you once again.and my name is Rehana.
Rehana
Its Amaranth leaves only.
grinding jeera with coconut gives nice taste…
u can also add jeera while griding coconut, gives nice taste…
Hi Raji… I have been going through your blog since recent times, kind of addicted to ur blog :)) almost everyday looking into it and trying each of your delicacies , Became my closest friend becoz of that, especially your karadaian nonbu adai, my mom only makes it every time, after seeing that gorgeous texture in your blog i pinned to give it a try on my own, like that i can keep on telling about you :)) today i tried this keerai kootu , it came out well, this time i wanted to write to you , thank u so much
Thank you very much 🙂 Friend 🙂
In this while grinding, add little cumin(seeragam) gives a great taste.
Hi……your recipes are great……tried many with great success…..thanks
Can I make this kootu with palak leaves ?
I havent tried, but why not? You can try.
I tried with palak leaves…..came out yummy….thanks
Shall we use arai keerai instead of this ?
Sure