Keerai kootu recipe, south Indian kootu

Name: Keerai kootu recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 small bunches Keerai/ Amaranth leaves (I used Mulai keerai with stem); 1/4 cup moong dal/ Paasi paruppu; 1 tsp Sambar powder; 1/8 tsp Turmeric powder; salt As needed; Sugar a pinch; 1/4 cup Coconut (grated); 1/2 tsp Rice flour; water little to grind; 2 tsp Oil; 1/2 tsp Mustard; 1 tsp Urad dal; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 4 Shallots/ small onion

July 23, 2009 by Raks Anand 85 Comments / Jump to Recipe

Keerai kootu recipe, a south Indian accompaniment is part of lunch menu, served as accompaniment for rice. Stepwise pictures recipe. This healthy Indian spinach (amaranth leaves) side dish is mild in spice.

It is always good to includes greens in your diet often and keerai kootu is one of the easy and tasty way.

Check out my manathakkali kootu, fenugreek leaves kootu in this website.

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Method
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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😉)

What is keerai?

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 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!!

Check out my keerai sambar recipe and this lunch menu with keerai kootu.

Method

Cleaning Keerai

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.

Cook keerai | Spinach

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.

Mix kootu

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!

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5 from 3 votes