It is just another day in my routine. Woke up, had to hurry up, ran to catch the office bus
having both handbag, lunch bag and my heart relaxed for only after I got
into the bus. When wiping off my forehead sweats, using my
hanky, my ears were hearing a louder voice and my head spontaneously turned to my back. A teen-age was talking over her mom on how to cook a
simple rasam.
We as food bloggers sometimes need to break our head for some new recipes (some of you try very innovative
recipes, I say). There is a crowd out there who don’t have much idea on cooking those simple,
yet traditional recipes. It happened to be the same day when one of my colleagues asked me the recipe for a plain dal recipe . Hand on my head!!!!Gosh… I felt a need for a basic recipe in my blog that could help many. No doubt if I compile a post of many simple yet basic recipes. Stories apart, Now off to such a basic recipe – Keerai Masiyal also known as Keerai Kadayal. Again, today’s recipe looks simple but it
certainly needs some experience to cook it . My MIL always insists
that the one who can cook any kind of greens perfectly is the one who can be called an expert in
cooking.
Traditionally, Keerai Masiyal is prepared out of steaming the spinach and mashing it using a mathu (A wooden ball headed spatula) in a rough surfaced earthen pot. In this modern age the entire process is done by a mixer jar as said below. Any Green(Keerai) can be used for this recipe.
Basic Information:
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
The recipe video is given below. Please subscribe and share the Indian Curry Trail You tube Channel.
If you have tried this recipe, please share your feedback via email. My email id is indiancurrytrail@gmail.com
Ingredients:
For Masiyal:
Pasalai keerai / Baby Spinach – 1 bunch or 3 cups optimum packing
Onion – 1/2 cup, chopped
Tomato – 1/2 cup, chopped
Garlic – 6 cloves
Green chillies- 2 nos., slit
Water – 1/2 cup
Salt – to taste
Tamarind – a big pinch
Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
For Seasoning:
Oil – 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tetaspoon (optional)
Asafoetida – a pinch
Dry red chillies – 2 nos., crushed
Method:
1) Wash the green and chop it roughly. Heat water in wide pan. Add onion, tomato, green chilli and garlic cloves. Add tamarind and add cumin seeds.
2) When it is roll boiling, add chopped spinach to it. Mix well and cook it in the low flame till the spinach has cooked well. It takes only few minutes.
3) Once done, cool it for few minutes and grind the cooked green mixture alone using a mixer draining the water in a separate bowl if any.
4) Add salt to your taste while grinding. When the consistency is smooth, transfer it to a bowl. Use the saved water to rinse the mixer and pour to the ground spinach. Mix well.
5) Prepare seasoning separately and add to the ground spinach.
6) Serve with cooked rice.
Notes:
1) To cook spinach without changing its colour, Cook it without covering the pan. However, if you use tamarind there is a chance of changing the colour.
2) Don’t grind it to a very smooth consistency. Semi smooth grinding gives the authentic look.
looks wonderful
Yum yum healthy keerai. Loved the rich color.
wow! looks so tempting and wonderful!
such a tempting curry.. yumm..
always my fav one.. yummy prep..
my ear goes automatically when someone says food / cooking or travel or what ever. because we are food blogger. i loved this simple version lovely kadai too
Masiyal looks so inviting and delicious. That too after you have such a hectic day.
Deepa
Hello what do you mean when you say a big pinch of tamarind? Does it come in a powder form? Thank you
Hi Aliya,
It is said with the intention that small or single pulp of tamarind.