Keerai Kootu or Palak dal is a comforting thick stew made with spinach and red lentils. Kootu, a staple dish hailing from Tamil Nadu but also popular among other states commonly referred as Dal!
Normally any keerai paruppu or kootu is a mix of steamed greens and cooked lentils tempered with spices! Chettinad style includes additional spices and always has a coconut garnish to make it super tasty!
This classic yummy dal is packed with vibrant spices, fragrant, absolutely healthy and soul satisfying when enjoyed with piping hot rice!
What kind of lentils to use?
Any kind of lentils will suit for this recipe. Mostly split red lentil ( toor dal )or split yellow (moong dal )lentils are used in these type of stews. Lentil varieties like masoor dal, chana dal can also be used.
How to cook Dal / Dhal ?
Making this in a pressure cooker or Instant pot is a snap. Cooking dal in traditional pressure cooker takes only 3 to 4 whistles after soaking lentils for few minutes. Instant Pot method takes about 30 minutes to make perfect smooth dal.
By cooking dal ahead of time and storing will help to finish this dish in just few minutes. I have already shared a post on HOW TO COOK & FREEZE DAL / LENTILS which saves time for working folks.
Chettinad Keerai Kootu Recipe | Spinach Dhal
Ingredients
To cook lentils
- 1 cup Toor Dal / Thuvaram paruppu
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Oil optional, add if dal is soaked for less time
- 3 cups Water
Temper, Saute & Cook
- 1 bunch Spinach / Palak greens / Pasalai Keerai
- 1 tsp Oil
- 1 tsp Ghee
- 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp Split Black gram
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 small Green chili
- 1 each Dry red chili optional
- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 cup Onion
- 1/4 cup Tomato
- 1 pinch Sugar
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sambar Powder / Garam Masala powder optional, **** see notes
- 1 tbsp Fresh Grated Coconut
Instructions
To cook Dhal / Lentils
- Soak toor dal for at least 30 minutes. Wash, rinse and set aside.
- Take soaked toor lentils in a pressure cooker pan, add turmeric powder, oil and water. (Adding little oil can make dal turn mushy, use if the lentils are soaked for less time) Soaking lentils for at least 30 minutes can aid better digestion)
- Pressure cook for up to 3 to 4 whistles and switch off.
- If using Instant pot, select Bean Mode and cook over high pressure for 30 minutes.
Temper, Saute & Cook
- Heat oil and ghee in a pan.
- Temper with mustard seeds, split black gram, cumin seeds, green chili, dry red chili, and asafoetida. (either use green or dry red chili depending on preference)
- Saute crushed garlic along with onion for few minutes until it turns soft.
- Now add copped tomatoes along with chopped spinach greens and saute for few minutes until wilted. Add a pinch of sugar to keep the color intact.
- While that is cooking, gently mash the cooked dhal.
- Add the sautéed spinach along with the tempering over the mashed dal.
- Mix well, add little sambar powder and simmer for minutes or until desired thickness is reached. (For North Indian Version of Spinach Dal / Palak dal- use garam masala powder instead of sambar powder )
- Finally garnish with some fresh grated coconut and turn it off!
- Serve it warm topped over pipping hot rice and ghee!
Video
Notes
Method
To cook Dhal / Lentils
-
Soak Toor lentils /Tuvar for at least 30 minutes. Wash, rinse and set aside.
-
Take soaked toor lentils in a pressure cooker pan, add turmeric powder, oil and water. (Adding little oil can make dal turn mushy, use if the lentils are soaked for less time) Soaking lentils for at least 30 minutes can aid better digestion)
-
Pressure cook for up to 3 to 4 whistles and switch off.
-
If using Instant pot, select Bean Mode and cook over high pressure for 30 minutes.
Temper, Saute & Cook
-
Heat oil and ghee in a pan.
-
Temper with mustard seeds, split black gram, cumin seeds, green chili, dry red chili, and asafoetida. (either use green or dry red chili depending on preference)
-
Saute crushed garlic along with onion for few minutes until it turns soft.
-
Now add copped tomatoes along with chopped spinach greens and saute for few minutes until wilted. Add a pinch of sugar to keep the color intact.
-
While that is cooking, gently mash the cooked dhal.
-
Add the sautéed spinach along with the tempering over the mashed dal.
-
Mix well, add little sambar powder and simmer for minutes or until desired thickness is reached.
-
Finally garnish with some fresh grated coconut and turn it off!
-
Serve it warm topped over pipping hot rice and ghee!
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