Palak Keerai Kootu - Tamilnadu Style Spinach and Yellow Lentil Gravy Dal

Palak Keerai Kootu - Healthy Spinach Lentil Gravy Dal

Ingredients:

1. Spinach                                    1 bunch(chop finely)
2. Yellow Lentil or Moong Dal     1 small cup
3. Water                                      2 +1 small cups
4. Salt                                          according to taste

For Dry Spices:

1. Black gram                        1 table spoon
2. Cumin seeds                      1 tea spoon
3. Whole Red chilli                1 
4. Coconut (grated)               1 table spoon

For Seasoning:

1. Vegetable oil                     1 table spoon
2. Whole Red chilli                1(split in to half)
3. Mustard Seeds                  1 table spoon
4. Cumin seeds                      1 tea spoon
5. Asafoteda                          1/2 tea spoon
6. Turmeric powder               1 tea spoon
7. Curry leaves                      3 to 4

Method:

1. Wash Yellow Lentil in fresh water.
2. Take washed Lentils and chopped Spinach and 2 cups of water  in a Pressure cooker and cook (on stove top on a medium heat   up to 2  whistles,switch off the flame and wait to become cool. 
3. Heat Pan in a medium heat add Black gram fry for few min. then add Red chilli,cumin seeds and fry for 1 min.till cumin seeds to blow and off the flame add grated coconut and mix well and wait to become cool.
4. Now take cool spice mix in a  small mixer grinder jar and little amount of water grind it like smooth paste.
5. Now open the Pressure cooker lid and  mash the Cooked Lentils and Spinach and cook for 2 min. in a high flame( If Dal is too thick add little amount of water) and add Salt mix well  and then add spice mix and cook for few min. and off the flame. Now take out in a serving bowl.
6. Heat Oil in a Pan in a medium heat add Asafoteda,Mustard seeds fry for few min and add Cumin seeds fry  tlll seeds to splutter and add Red chilli pieces  fry for few min.then add Curry leaves and Turmeric powder  off the flame and add this seasoning to cooked Dal.
7. Serve Palak Keerai Kootu with Plain Rice or Sambar and  Rice or Roti or Chapathi ( Indian Breads)