Pasalai Keerai Milagu Kootu/Spinach Pepper Kootu

Expect slower updates since exams are approaching nearby.

Earlier I have posted a recipe of milagu kootu with chow chow and pureed greens. But in this recipe, I didn't puree the greens.

While flipping through a recipe book, I read that the pepper, black gram and coconut were ground and added to kootu in this recipe. My family enjoyed this green dal very much.

Ingredients:
Spinach/pasalai keerai - 300 gms
Tuvar dal/arhar dal/thuvaram paruppu - 1/3 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Asafoetida powder

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Dry red chilli - 1
Oil

To grind:
Urad dal - 1 tbsp.
Peppercorns - 1 tsp.
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp.
Oil

Method:
Boil the tuvar dal with required water, turmeric powder and little sesame oil in a pressure cooker. Keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add black gram and peppercorns. Saute till the black gram becomes golden colour. Keep aside.

While sauting, the peppercorns would burst. So be careful.

Heat the oil in a big pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and red chilli (break into 2 or 3).

When the mustard seeds crackle, add the chopped spinach leaves.

Saute the spinach leaves. After a few minutes, the spinach leaves would release water.

Meanwhile add the black gram, black peppercorn and grated coconut in a blender.

Grind the mixture without adding water. Keep aside.

Continue sauteing the spinach.

Now add the boiled tuvar dal. Mix well.

Bring it to boil. Let it boil for 4 to 5 minutes while stirring in between. Now add the ground spices.

Mix well. Sprinkle asafoetida and salt. Mix. At this stage, the kootu becomes thick.

Serve as a side dish for rice or chapathi.

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Snake gourd Bengal Gram Kootu

Kootu is one of my H's favourite side dishes. He'd eat it anytime with any dish. Besides rice, he'd eat it with chapathi and naan.

I love to eat hot and spicy side dishes for naan and chappathi. This also includes my children who are 'ma' kids.

This time I have used only Bengal gram with snake gourd.

Ingredients:
Snake gourd - 1 cup (heaped & chopped)
Bengal gram - 1/2 cup
Shallots - 10 (peeled and sliced)
Tomatoes - 1 (chopped)
Curry leaves - few
Salt (to taste)
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Green chilli - 1 (slit)

To grind:
Arhar dal - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 5 to 6 seeds
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp.
Dry whole red chillies - 2
Coconut flakes - 1 tbsp.
Asfoetida - a pinch
Oil - 1/2 tsp.

Method:
Soak the Bengal gram for an hour.
Pressure cook the Bengal gram, snake gourd and turmeric powder with required salt.
Heat oil and fry the given ingredients from "to grind" list except asafoetida. Cool and grind into a powder with asafoetida.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add onions, curry leaves and green chilli.
Sauté till the onions turn translucent.
Add the tomatoes and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the spice powder and mix.
Add the cooked snake gourd mixture and bring it to a boil.
Sprinkle coriander leaves and remove from fire.
Serve as a side-dish.

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Cabbage Kootu

Ingredients:
Cabbage - 1/2 (shredded)
Chana dal - 1/3 cup
Yellow moong dal - 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves - few (chopped)

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 3/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp.
Whole red chillies - 2 (long)
Curry leaves - a few
Oil

To grind into paste:
Coconut grated - 3 tbsp.
Green chillies (small) - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.

Method:
Soak the chana dal for 1 hour. Mix yellow moong dal, cabbage and turmeric powder with chana dal. Pour required water and pressure cook them.
Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and broken or cut red chillies. When the mustard seeds crackle, add asafoetida and curry leaves.
Pour the cooked cabbage and dal. Mix in salt and coconut paste.
Boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Finally add coriander leaves and switch off the heat.
Enjoy as a side dish!

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Beans Poricha Kootu

Ingredients:
Beans - 250 gm (chopped)
Moong dal - 1/3 cup
Salt (to taste)
Turmeric powder - 2 pinches

To grind:
Coconut pieces - 1 tbsp.
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp.
Whole dry red chillies - 3
Peppercorns - 1/4 tsp.
Channa dal - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Asafoetida - a teeny weeny pinch.
Oil

For Tadka:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Channa dal - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil

Method:
1. Boil dal and beans in a pressure cooker separately.
2. Add oil in a kadai and fry channa dal, urad dal, peppercorns, coriander seeds, coconut pieces, red chillies and asafoetida by adding one by one till golden color. Cool and powder them.
3. Add this powder to the dal and beans. Mix well. Add turmeric powder and salt also. Cook in low flame for 3 to 4 minutes by stirring in between.
4. Prepare the tempering and pour over kootu. Mix well.  Remove from heat. Serve as a side dish for rice.

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Bottle Gourd Kootu

Ingredients:
Bottle gourd - 2.5 cups (peeled and diced)
Moong Dal - 1/3 cup
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Garlic - 2 (crushed)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)

To grind:
Coconut (grated) - 1/3 cup
Green chillies - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves (fresh and tender) - 2 sprigs

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil

Method:
1. Grind the "To Grind" ingredients into a thick paste by adding little water. Keep aside.
2. Cook moong dal with required water till 75%.
3. Now add the diced bottle gourd to the dal and continue cooking. If required add water.
4. When the dal and veggie are tender add salt, turmeric powder and ground paste. Mix well. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. In another pan, heat oil and add the tempering ingredients. When the seeds splutter, add onions and saute till they turn translucent. Add crushed garlic and saute. Add tomatoes and saute. Add this mixture to the dal and mix.
6. Finally garnish with coriander leaves and remove from heat. Serve with rice.

Sent off to Akila's "Dish Name Starts with B" event.

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Snake gourd/Pudalankaai Poricha Kootu

Ingredients:
To boil:
Pudalankaai/snake gourd - 350 gm (tender)
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)

To fry and powder:
Black gram/urad dal - 1 tbsp.
Peppercorns - 1 1/2 tsp.
Byadgi chillies - 3
Grated coconut- 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Oil

To Temper:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil


To garnish:
Chopped coriander leaves

Method:
Add moong dal and water in an open pan. Let it cook.
When the dal is half done, add the chopped veggies along with white fiber and tender seeds.
Add turmeric powder and salt.
Fry and powder the given ingredients.
Add this powder to boiled dal and vegetable. Mix well.
Temper the given ingredients and pour it in the kootu.
Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve as side dish for rice.

Sent off to "CWS-Pepper" (hosted by Padma and started by Priya) and "Green Gourmet Event-1" (hosted by Preeti Kashyap of Write Food: Relishing Recipes).

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Carrot & Papaya Kootu

Ingredients:
Carrot - 4 (medium-chopped)
Papaya(green) - ½ (medium-chopped)
Green peas - ½ cup
Moong Dal - ½ cup
Salt
Turmeric - a pinch
Coriander leaves (chopped) - few
To grind:
Chana dal - 1 tbsp.
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp.
Whole dry red chili -2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Coconut - 1 tbsp. (grated)
Green chili - 1

For seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Urad dal - ½ tsp.
Asafetida - 2 pinches
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Oil

Method:
Pressure cook the veggies and dal by adding required water, salt and turmeric powder.
Fry the chana dal, coriander seeds and red chili in a teaspoon of oil. Let it cool.
Now throw the roasted ingredients and other remaining ingredients in the “to grind” list in a blender.
Grind them without adding water.
Heat oil and add the seasonings.
Pour the boiled dal and veggies into the seasoning.
Add the ground paste and mix well.
Check for salt.
Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Finally add the coriander leaves.

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Vazhaipoo/Plantain Flower Kootu

Ingredients:
Petals - from 1 plantain flower
Toor dal - 1/3 cup
Onions - 1 (chopped)
Garlic - 3 (crushed)
Tomato - 2 (chopped)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp.
Curry leaves - 5-6 leaves
Coconut milk (thin) - 1/3 cup.

To grind:
Green chilies - 4
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.

For tempering:
Mustard seeds - ½ tsp.
Urad dal - ½ tsp.
Rice - 1 tsp.


Method:
Blend the petals in the blender.
Add this in 1 cup of buttermilk and mix well ( to avoid oxidation).
Boil the dal and keep aside.
Grind the green chilies and cumin seeds.
Heat oil and add the tempering ingredients.
When mustard splutter add the onion and garlic. Fry.
Add the curry leaves and add the tomatoes.
Sauté till it becomes pulpy.
Add the blended petals along with buttermilk.
When they are cooked add the boiled dal, ground paste, turmeric powder and salt.
Bring it to a boil.
Now add the coconut milk and remove immediately.
Mix well.
Serve hot.

Sent off to Sanjana's "Create for a Chilli Chopper" competition.

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Spinach Kootu

It is good for health to eat green leaves at least 5 days a week. We can create a kitchen garden in our home. Like mint plants, coriander, Gongura, curry leaves, tomatoes, peppers, spinach ….these plants can be grown in small-sized to medium-sized pots. We can get fresh leaves from our own home. Wherever I stay I like to grow plants in some pots.

Ingredients:

Baby Spinach – 3 cups (chopped)

Tuvar Dal – ½ cup

Coriander leaves – ½ cup

Onion – ½ (sliced)

Ginger grated – 1 teaspoon

Tomatoes – 2 (ripe- chopped)

Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon

Coconut grated – 2 teaspoons

Asafoetida – ¼ teaspoon

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Whole dry red chili -2

Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Salt to taste

Oil

Method:

Boil the Tuvar dal.

Take the cooked dal in a pan. Keep it in heat.

To the dal, add the chopped spinach and coriander leaves.

Let it boil for 5 minutes.

In another burner, heat the oil.

To the oil, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

When the mustard seeds starts to crackle, add the red chilli, asafoetida and sauté.

Then add the sliced onions and fry.

Add the tomatoes,grated ginger and stir. No need to be mushy.

Then add the coconut gratings and fry for 30 seconds.

Add this mixture to the spinach dal.

Now add the turmeric powder, salt and mix well.

Remove from heat and serve with roti or rice.

This goes to the SWC: Cooking with Greens event.

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Mor Kootu

During summer, I used to cook mor kozhumbu or mor kootu at least a week. This is a straightforward side dish but it's extremely exceptional for summer. You can also add your desired veggie for this kootu. This dish has to be gobbled up within 4 to 6 hrs in summer.

Ingredients:

White pumpkin – 300 gm (diced)

Yogurt – ¼ cup

Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon

Grated coconut – ¼ cup

Green chilies – 2

Salt

Seasoning:

Oil as required

Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Urad dhal – ¼ teaspoon

Asafetida – 2 pinch

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Whole red chili – 2

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

Boil the pumpkin pieces with required water by adding little salt.

Grind cumin seeds, grated coconut, and green chilies into paste with little water.

Add this paste to the boiled pumpkin pieces and keep the heat in simmer mode.

Beat the curd with required salt and add it to the pumpkin.

Let it sit for a minute. Don't boil. Or curd will split.

Remove from fire.

In a small kadai heat the oil.

To the oil, add urad dal and fry till golden brown.

Then add the mustard seeds, asafetida, curry leaves, whole red chili.

When the mustard seeds crackle, add this to the kootu.

Add coriander leaves and mix well.

I'm sending this to the Summer Treats event.

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Green Leaf Kootu - தண்டு கீரை கூட்டு

Ingredients:
Thandu keerai - 1 bunch
Small onion - 8
(or)
Big onion - 1/2 ( chopped)
Tomato - 1 (medium-chopped)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Grated coconut - 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder -1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Tuvar dal - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida - 2 pinch
Whole dry red chilli - 1
Salt
Oil

Method:
Boil the tuvar dal and set aside.
Grind the raw grated coconut and cumin seeds in a dry mixie jar.
Wash and Chop the greens.
Heat the oil in kadai.
Add mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.
Add chopped onions and fry.
Break the dry red chilli into two and add it in the kadai
Add the tomatoes and fry.
Add red chilli powder and fry for 1 minute.
Add chopped greens and mix well.
Let the greens boil in kadai.(if the leaves are thick it will consume extra time).
After boiling add the boiled turvar dal and mix.
Add turmeric powder, salt, asafoetida and mix.
Leave it for 2 minutes and remove from fire.

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Vedhaya keerai kootu (வெந்தய கீரை கூட்டு )

Ingredients:
Fenugreek leaves - 1 bunch (வெந்தய கீரை, मेथी)
Pasi paruppu (moong dal) - 1/2 cup (பயத்தம் பருப்பு)
Onion - 1/2( chopped)
Garlic - 1 clove ( crushed )
Tomato -1 (medium) chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tea spoons
Green chilli - (slit vertical)
Salt
Oil
Mustard seeds-1/2tsp (கடுகு)
Cumin seeds-1/4tsp (சீரகம்)

Method:

Boil the moong dal.
Heat the oil in a kadai.
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds in the hot oil.
When mustard seeds starts to crackle add the onion, garlic, green chilli and fry in medium flame till onion is fried.
Add the fenugreek leaves and saute it.
Affer 8 to 10 minutes add the chopped tomatoes and required salt and stir.
When the tomatoes becomes paste add the boiled dal.
Add turmeric powder and let it be for 3 minutes and remove.

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Pumpkin puli kootu

பூசணிக்காய் புளி கூட்டு

Ingredients:

White pumpkin cubes - 20 pieces

Tamarind pulp - 1 table spoon

Tuvar dal - 2 table spoon

Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 6 to 8

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Salt

Oil

To Grind:

Channa dal - 3 tea spoons

Whole red chilli - 4 or ( according to mild or hot taste)

Urad dhal - 2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Coconut grated - 2 tsp

Method:

Soak the peanuts overnight or for 4 hours. Boil them and keep aside.

Pressure cook the tuvar dal .

Boil the pumpkin pieces with little water and turmeric powder.

In a small kadai add 1 tsp oil and add channa dal, urad dhal. When the dals are half fried add the whole red chilli , coriander seeds and fry. Switch off the burner. Then add the cumin seeds and grated coconut and saute it in the reamining heat. Grind this in spice grinder.

Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds.

When mustard starts to splutter add the tamarind pulp and bring to boil ( no raw smell )

Now add the boiled pumpkin, boiled tuvar dal, ground spices, boiled peanuts and little more salt.

Mix well.

Finally add the asafoetida and curry leaves.

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Chow chow milagu kootu (chayote squash kootu)

Ingredients:
Chow chow - 1 ( peel off the skin and cut them into pieces. )
Tuvar dal - 1/2 cup ( soak for 30 mts)
Channa dal - 1/4 cup (soak for 30 mts)
Ulundhu -1 tsp
Corainder seeds-1 tsp
Black pepper- 1/2 tsp
Whole red chilli-2
Grated coconut- 2 tablespoon
Salt
Oil
Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds, - 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 10 foliages
Asafoetida - 2 pinches

Method:
Pressure cook the dhals.
Cook the chow chow separately with little bit salt.
In a small kadai add 1 tsp oil.
To the oil add ulundhu, pepper, coriander seeds, whole red chilli and fry till golden colour. Remove from stove and now add the grated coconut to this spices and fry . Let this mix get cold, then powder them (in mixie small jar).
In a kadai add the dals, boiled chow chow, powder, salt, turmeric powder.
Take another small kadai add little bit oil. To the oil add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Add these to the dhal and chow chow mixture. Now kootu is ready.

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