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Palak keerai Kootu | Spinach Kootu | Keerai Sambar

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Palak keerai Kootu | Spinach Kootu | Keerai Sambar recipe with step by step pictures and instructions. Learn how to make healthy and nutritious Keerai kootu. Keerai Kootu is greens cooked in dal. Spinach is loaded with lot of nutrients and rich in Iron and contains antioxidant properties. Make sure to include lot of greens in your diet.  I make it in couple of different ways. This method is simple and we add only green chilli for spiciness and perfect for kids. 

I make keerai atleast once in a week. This is one of the most common menu in our routine as I make this as alternative to sambar/Kuzhambu and serve it with rice. You can use any type of greens for this recipe. Amma used to mash the keerai in clay pot. I don't mash it too much as we like to have it as such. You can grind it in blender too. 

Do try and let me know your feedback. You can also try below recipes

One pot Tiffin Sambar

Onion Tomato Masala

Quick Besan Curry

Tiffin Sambar

Palak Poori

Print

Palak keerai kadaiyal

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • Palak Keerai 1 bunch 180 grams
  • Green Chilli 3 small
  • Jeera ½ tsp
  • Salt as required
  • Toor dal/Moong dal ⅓ cup
  • Water 1 ½ cup
  • Turmeric powder ½ tsp
  • Hing ¼ tsp
  • Onions 1
  • Oil 2 tsp
  • Keerai Vadagam 1 tbsp

Instructions

  • Take ⅓ cup dal and wash it.
  • Add water along with turmeric and hing.
  • Pressure cook it for 1 whistle and 5 minutes in slow flame.
  • Open, mash the dal and keep it ready.
  • Finely chop the onions and keep it ready
  • Clean and wash the Spinach
  • Add Jeera, salt and green chilli to spinach with little water.
  • Allow it to boil till it shrinks.
  • Mash it and keep it ready.
  • Heat oil in kadai and temper with keerai vadagam
  • Add the finely chopped onions and saute for few minutes
  • Then add the mashed spinach and saute quickly
  • Then add the cooked dal.
  • Allow it to boil till raw smell goes. Check the seasoning and adjust the salt.
  • Serve it with hot rice.

Notes

If you don't have keerai vadagam you can temper with mustard and urad dal
You can grind the keerai in blender for smooth texture. I usually mash them as we like it that way.
Adjust the consistency as you like. You can add more water to make it thin.

How to make Keerai Kootu with step by step pictures

Take ⅓ cup dal and wash it.

Add water along with turmeric and hing.

Pressure cook it for 1 whistle and 5 minutes in slow flame.

Open, mash the dal and keep it ready.

Finely chop the onions and keep it ready

Clean and wash the Spinach

Add Jeera, salt and green chilli to spinach with little water.

Allow it to boil till it shrinks.

Mash it and keep it ready. Heat oil in kadai and temper with keerai vadagam

Add the finely chopped onions and saute for few minutes

Then add the mashed spinach and saute quickly

Then add the cooked dal.

Allow it to boil till raw smell goes. Check the seasoning and adjust the salt.

Serve it with hot rice.

More Curry/Kuzhambu

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mayuri Patel says

    Such a healthy and filling dal. I love to have it with some hot rotis. I usually chop the spinach but next time will try your way of boiling whole leaves and then mashing them.
    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • namscorner says

      Thanks Mayuri.
      Reply

  2. Renu says

    I too make this often, but with tur dal. A good way to feed the kids some palak. Protein rich and comforting.
    ★★★★★

    Reply

  3. Mina Joshi says

    I love this easy to make spinach and dall curry. Both healthy ingredients blended so well into a curry.
    ★★★★★

    Reply

  4. Vandana Chauhan says

    This dish looks so delicious and healthy. My mother used to make something similar for us when we were kids. I will definitely try it soon . What's the meaning of Keerai vadagam?
    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • namscorner says

      Keerai Vadagam is actually used for tempering. It is prepared by using small onions, mustard, jeera, pepper and some more spices and allowed to dry in sun for long time. we prepare and use it for whole year. we can use it for tempering any type of curry. We can skip it and use normal way too.
      Reply

  5. Lata Lala says

    We too love this and use chana dal along with palak and call it dal palak or Sai bhaji. The sambhar version sounds so delicious. This is full of nutrients and a weekly affair at my place too.
    Reply

  6. amrita says

    This recipe is similar to Palak Dal...this is a healthy dish and can be paired with plain rice and roti
    Reply

  7. Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says

    This is one gravy that I love to have with chapathis... It is such comforting food, and also you get the goodness of the greens without too much effort...
    ★★★★★

    Reply

  8. Jayasri says

    This is my favourite dal recipe, Perfect with both rice and chapati!
    ★★★★★

    Reply

  9. Padma Veeranki says

    This is such a comforting food...I make similar but dal types....and for the kootu I use only moong dal!! Adding keerai vadagam is new to me..should try it!! It must have added added flavour to the kootu!!
    Reply

  10. Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey says

    Spinach with daal one of my best comfort food. It is tasty and nutritious with LOW GI value. Loving step by step pics.
    Reply

  11. Anshu says

    Very healthy and nutritious recipe. We too often make this in North India mostly with chana dal or split moong dal. Goes so well with chapati and rice.
    Reply

  12. sasmita says

    Great share Narmadha !!! The use of whole spinach leaves (baby spinach) is a lovely idea without chopping them before adding to the pan. Although I dont add any leafy greens to sambhar but this sambhar version sounds so delicious.
    Reply

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