Keerai Molagootal (Spinach lentil curry)

A popular curry from Palakkad, a city in Kerala, a southern Indian state. It is typically eaten with boiled rice and vendakkai kichadi (fried okra in yogurt).

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Thoroughly wash and stem spinach leaves.

Step 2

Bring a pot of water to boil, immerse the spinach leaves, and cook for 3-4 mins on medium flame. Switch off the flame, and after a few more minutes, drain the water and let the boiled spinach cool.

Step 3

In a blender, add the boiled spinach and 1 tbsp water, and grind to a course paste. Keep aside.

Step 4

In a blender, grind coconut, green chillies, and jeera to a fine paste.

Step 5

Add the spinach paste to the coconut paste and mix well in a bowl.

Step 6

Cook arhar dal (1:2 ratio for dal:water) in a pressure cooker with 4 whistles.

Step 7

After the cooker cools down, whisk the dal to a fine consistency.

Step 8

In a pan, add the cooked and mashed dal, coconut paste, and spinach paste. Add haldi and salt. Adjust water according to the desired consistency.

Step 9

Bring to boil, and let it cook for 5 mins on a medium flame.

Step 10

In a pan, add oil, black mustard seeds, hing, urad dal, and dried red chillies (in that order)

Step 11

After the mustard crackles and the urad dal turns golden brown, pour the seasoning into the molagootal and cover the vessel with a plate to prevent the aroma from escaping.

Step 12

Molagootal is ready to eat!

Step 13

Serve with rice and vendakkai kichadi.