Keerai Kootu / Chettinad Dal and Spinach

Keerai Kootu

Ingredients
Any greens ( keerai ) varieties - 1 bunch ( I used mullai keerai)
Cooked toor dal - 1/2 cup
Onion small chopped - 1 no
Tomato small chopped - 1 no
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tsp

To temper
Vadagam / Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dried red chillies - 2 nos

Chettinad Keerai Kootu

Method
1. Add washed and chopped greens, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric
powder, salt and water to a pan.
2. Place pan on heat and bring to boil, simmer and cook greens until tender on medium heat for about 7 to 8 mins.
3. When the greens are cooked and tender add the cooked toor dal to the greens and mix well.
4. Heat oil in another pan, when hot add vadagam and dried chillies, fry for 10 seconds or less, add this tempering to the greens in the pan and mix well.
Serve hot with
Steamed rice
Vatha Kulambu

Chefs tips
Vadagam or thallippu vadagam is a special Chettinad tempering ingredient very common in all Chettinad and tamilians home. Since it is little time consuming to prepare, some people have adapted using mustard seeds instead of vadagam. But vadagam is more aromatic and flavorful than mustard tempering. Here is the recipe to prepare vadagam at home.