Saturday, May 07, 2011

Paruppu Keerai / Dal Spinach


Spinach is one of the nutritious vegetables. Tender Spinach is consumed in raw form in many westen countries because of its high vitamin and mineral content. Most of the time, I prepare this dal without onion, tomato and garlic and I am giving the recipe for it. You can do this dal in a jiffy and if you have time, feel free to add onion, tomato and garlic if you like to add. All the other methods are same.









Ingredients:



Spinach (Keerai) - 1 bunch

Toor Dal - 1/2 cup

Dry red chillies - 5 nos

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - 3 teaspoon

Salt - To taste

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida - a pinch



Method:



1) Wash spinach twice in water and chop it finely.

2) Wash Toor dal twice or thrice in water until the water becomes clear.

3) Add Toor dal along with a cup of water in a pressure cooker and allow it to boil. However don't close the lid.

4) When the dal is half boiled(remove the foam using ladle that foams on the top of water), add spinach, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, salt and some water.

5) Close the lid of the cooker and wait for 3 whistles.

6) Allow the steam to subside. Then open the lid and mash the spinach dal mixture well with a masher.

7) Take a kadai (frying pan) and heat oil.

8) Add mustard seeds and urid dal. When they seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves and dry red chillies,asafoetida to it.

9) Add this to spinach dal mixture and stir well.

10) Dal Spinach (Parruppu Keerai) is now ready to be served with rice.









Note:

1) Add onion, tomato and garlic to get additional taste and flavor.