KEERAI SUNDAL / CURRY

This Keerai (Amaranthus) Curry is a Tanjore Special , again. It is called Keerai Sundal, because it is allowed to shrink in very little water, along with the protein rich tur dhal. It is so simple, yet so tasty, with any sambar, rasam, or  koottu . "Sundal" in Tamil also means, getting shrunk.

Ingredients

                            Spinach (Mulai Keerai) - 1 bunch, chopped, cleaned, washed & drained
                            Tur dhal - 1/2 cup
                            Fresh coconut, grated - 3 tbsps
                            Salt to taste
                            A pinch of turmeric

                                                                 For Seasoning
                                                         Cooking oil - 2 tbsps
                                                         Hing powder - a pinch
                                                         Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
                                                         Broken urad dhal - 1 tsp
                                                         Broken red chillies - 2 or 3

                                                         Recipe Cuisine: South Indian; Category: Dry Curry/Lunch
                                                         Prep time: 10 minutes; Cooking time: 15 minutes

                                                                                  Serves 4
                                                                 

                            In a pan, add some water, and add the tur dhal, with a pinch of turmeric

Cut, cleaned spinach on the colander

When it starts boiling, add the washed spinach on top of the dhal and cover with a lid, on low flames

If you open the lid after 5 minutes, and gently stir, you can see the curry  as below

                   And the beauty is, when the spinach gets fully cooked, the tur dhal will be half cooked (called "Killu padham" ....கிள்ளு பதம்..... in Tamil). Add salt at this stage, and also the grated coconut. If there is some more water, no need to drain it, if you keep the flame on high, it will get absorbed.

In another pan, add cooking oil, add all the seasoning ingredients mentioned above.

When Mustard seeds splutter and urad dhal turns golden, pout it on top of the curry.

Here is the wholesome Spinach / Keerai Sundal! Serve with sambar or rasam, along with papads or vadams. It will be heavenly! This is a dish, where the goodness of Spinach is highlighted with the protein rich Tur dhal.

                                      

Categories: South Indian Curries, Spinach recipes