Any variety of kootu is loved by all of us at home. Even my son who sometimes won’t eat some veggies, if I make it in the form of kootu, he will have it without any complaints. Keerai kootu i made it almost once or twice a week and among all kootu recipes, this one with keerai|spinach we like a lot. My mom makes this with manathakkali keerai , which we used to grow in our garden. I still love the freshness of the kootu she makes with homegrown keerai. This kootu recipe is very easy to make and very healthy too. Check out my Keerai Masiyal and Keerai poriyal. You can make this same keerai kootu with any variety of keerai such as Amaranth | arai keerai, Mullai keerai, Palak, black nightshade | manathakkali keerai, round spinach, or even with any veggies too. Keerai | spinach is a very healthy leafy vegetable with lots of health benefits. Some people add onion, tomato, and garlic to Keerai kootu. This version is without onion garlic. Also check out, Chettinad keerai kootu, Keerai sadam, Murungakeerai sambar, venthaya keerai paruppu usili, puli itta keerai.
Wash the spinach 4-5 times as they have small sands. Chop them finely.Add sambar powder, salt, asafoetida, sugar, and turmeric powderAdd 1/2 cup of water and cook for 5-7 minutes. Let the raw smell of the sambar powder go and the keerai gets cooked. The keerai will get cooked very fast as they are finely chopped.
Pressure cook the moong dal with enough water.Grind the coconut, jeera, and pepper into a fine paste. Add little water if needed while grinding. do not add more.
Add the cooked dal and the ground paste too.Mix well and let this boil for 5 minutes.
Switch it off.Temper mustard seeds and urad dal in coconut oil.
Serve hot with plain rice or as a side dish for Vathal kuzhambu.
If you feel the kootu is a bit watery, mix 1 tsp of rice flour and little water and add in the last and boil for 5 more minutes.Keerai kootu can be mixed with hot rice and served with potato fry.
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