Palak kootu

Spinach is a healthy leafy vegetable. But many don't like to eat spinach and any leafy vegetable. So i try to make it in a tasty way. I make this keerai kootu weekly once or even twice. My husband loves this. I use all kind of spinach like palak, mola keerai or even Chinese spinach for making this recipe.

Ingredients:
1. Spinach- 1 bunch.
2. Green chilly- 3.
3. Coconut- 1/2 cup.
4. Cumin seeds- 1tsp.
5. Asafoetida- 1tsp.
6. Salt- To taste.
7. Sugar- 1 tsp.
8. Coconut oil- 1tsp.
9. Mustard seeds- 1tsp.
10. Urad dal- 1tsp.
11. Mor milagai or dried red chilly- 1 (optional).
12. Moong dal- 1/2 cup cooked(Optional)

Method:
1. Remove the spinach leaves from its stem. Wash and clean the leaves. In a pan, add the spinach leaves, cumin seeds and sugar. Cumin seeds and sugar helps to retain the greenish color. Sprinkle some water and bring it to boil. Little water is enough since spinach already has water content.

2. Switch off the flame once the spinach gets cooked and allow it to cool. Grind coconut and green chilly along with the cooked spinach into a smooth paste. Add salt and asafoetida while grinding. Add this ground paste in a kadai and bring to boil. Add the cooked and mashed moong dal and water if needed. Boil for 2-3mins.

3. Heat coconut oil in another pan and temper with mustard seeds and urad dal. Add moor milagai or dried red chilly(if using). Add this to the spinach gravy.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Notes:

1. You can also use toor dal.
2. You can also skip using cooked dal. It tastes good without dal also.