Keerai Molakoottal

 A typical Palakad recipe this Keerai Molagoottal is one mouth watering dish from Kerala Tamilnadu border. One of the major Keerai used is Molai Keerai though this can be made using Arai Keerai or Paruppu Keerai or Thandu Keerai or even Palak. This is not the typical Keerai kootu but a slight variation. 

Ingredients:

2 bunches of spinach - cleaned and chopped (which comes upto 4 to 6 cups)

Thuvar dal - 1/2 cup

Salt - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1.2 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Urad dal (whole) - 2 tbsp

Red chilly - 4 nos

Grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Hing - 1/2 tsp

Urad dal split - 1 tbsp

Method:

Pressure cook dal with turmeric powder for 6 whistles and mash it well. 

In a pan add 1 spoon of oil and saute the urad dal, red chilly and cumin seeds. Once the dal turns golden brown transfer it to a dry plate and let it cool. Once cool add the coconut to it and grind it to a fine paste. 

Pressure cook the spinach along with 1/2 tbsp of salt and mash well. Add the ground paste to it and simmer it once the paste blends and cooks well add the mashed dal and mix well. Let it cook in the slow flame for about 5 mins. 

In a tadka pan add oil, mustard seeds and let it splutter. Once done add the split urad dal and red chilly and saute till the dal turns golden brown. Add it to the keerai. Mix well. Yummy molakoottal is ready. 

This can be mixed with rice and or had it as a side dish to vathakuzhambu or rasam. But the best combo according to me is the molakootal with curd rice.