Keerai Kootu Recipe

Last Updated On: Nov 21, 2024 by Sharmilee J

Keerai Kootu is a healthy side dish for rice made using spinach. Keerai Kootu is very nutritious and made by cooking greens with dal, onion, tomato, chili, coconut paste, herbs & spices. Learn to make Keerai Kootu with step by step pictures.

Keerai kootu is mittu’s favorite and I am happy that she has not adapted her mothers habit of ignoring this healthy vegetable so keerai kootu is made often for her sake. She loves it with rice and I like it with roti. Keerai kootu mixed with hot rice, ghee is a bliss.

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About Keerai Kootu
Keerai Kootu Ingredients
How to make Keerai Kootu Step by Step
Expert Tips
Serving and Storage
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About Keerai Kootu

‘Keerai’ in tamil means spinach and is one of the healthy vegetables that you can include in your daily meal. Kootu is a side dish made with dal, tempering and can be made with any vegetable, keerai kootu is one of the South Indian staple side dish.

Keerai Kootu is a South Indian accompaniment made using spinach as main ingredients. This is one of the best tasty ways to eat greens and is relished by even people who do not like greens.

Keerai Kootu can be made in various ways and this is a staple recipe which I am following since I started cooking so it is obviously amma’s recipe. This is a mild side dish perfect to mix with rice for lunch.

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Keerai Kootu Ingredients

Spinach – Any greens variety can be used for this kootu.
Moong dal – Moong dal is commonly used for kootu. You can use a combination of dal too.
Onion, tomato – Onion, tomato is sautéed and added.
Coconut paste – Coconut is added along with rice flour and water to grind to a paste.
Tempering – A tempering is made using mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds and hing.

How to make Keerai Kootu Step by Step

1.Grind coconut with rice flour and water to a fine paste and set aside. Pressure cook dal with a pinch of turmeric powder and enough water until soft, mash it well with a ladle, set aside.

2.Clean the greens by removing the root part. Chop it finely then wash it twice at least, keep aside and drain water. Add greens to the cooked dal and allow it to boil and get cooked.

3.Meanwhile heat oil in a pan – Add items listed under ‘to temper’ let it splutter then add onion and tomato sauté till raw smell of tomato leaves and onion turns golden brown. Transfer this to greens with dal when greens is half cooked.

4.Once greens is cooked and well blended with dal, add coconut paste. Bring it to a quick boil and switch off.

Serve with hot rice and ghee.

Expert Tips

Adding a pinch of sugar while cooking greens helps to retain the green color.
You can even add 1/2 teaspoon sambar powder for flavor.
For more spice add 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder.

Serving and Storage

Keerai Kootu can be served with rice, roti etc. This kootu keeps well in fridge for 2 days, reheat and serve it.

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