Paruppu Keerai Masiyal | Dal Curry with Spinach
Paruppu Keerai masiyal, a commonly made stew with fresh greens along with mixed dals (toor and moong dal) along with onion-tomato based spiced gravy. This paruppu keerai is very nutritious and healthy. With the richness of spinach along with protein rich dal makes this masiyal very delicious and healthy. South Indian version of paruppu keerai masiyal is much similar to North Indian version of “Palak Dal”. Palak dal has more of masala flavor and our version has more spicy flavor from green and red chili along with sambar powder.
This paruppu keerai masiyal can be served as stew/accompaniment with sambar/rasam or can be mixed with rice. We can also relish this dal with roti. Most of kids show an aversion of consuming greens. But if we cook in the right way, spinach is not only nutritious but also very very tasty. Including greens atleast once a week is very good for our health.
Tips for making Paruppu Keerai Masiyal:
- We can use any regular greens like Thandu keerai, arai keerai, sirukeerai or palak.
- Wash the greens thoroughly twice or thrice to get rid off all sand/dust and then roughly chop the greens.
- If your kids don’t eat chopped greens, then cook the greens separately and then grind it to puree and then add it once the onion-tomato mixture is ready.
- Adding toor dal and moong dal enhances the flavor but if you prefer to use only one dal then you can use 1/2 cup of toor or moong dal.
- Adding turmeric retains the green color of the spinach, if you want you can add a pinch of baking soda instead of turmeric.
- Onion and garlic is optional, we can skip and make this paruppu keerai masiyal with coconut paste too.
- If you need more sour taste, you can squeeze 1/2 lemon and add it once the masiyal gets cooled off a little
You may also want to try:
- Mudakathan Keerai Rasam a delicious and nutritional rich rasam that can be served as a soup or can be mixed with rice.
- Puli Keerai is a traditional keerai masiyal recipe. Spinach is cooked in tamarind based spicy gravy. This tamarind based Keerai masiyal is very delicious and a perfect side dish for Rasam, Mor Kuzhambu etc.
- Murungai Keerai Kuzhambu, one of healthy kuzhambu variety with nutrient packed drumstick leaves. With rich flavor of coconut along with protein rich dal, tamarind and iron rich drumstick leaves, makes this kuzhambu healthy and nutritious.
Recipe card for Paruppu Keerai Masiyal | Dal Curry with Spinach:
Paruppu Keerai Masiyal | Dal Curry with Spinach
Equipments Needed
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Spinach 1 Cup - 250ml, tightly packed
- ¼ Cup Moong Dal
- ¼ Cup Toor Dal
- 1 no Onion Finely chopped
- 1 no Tomato roughly chopped
- 1½ tsp Salt Adjust as needed
- 1 tsp Sambar Powder
Tempering
- 3 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 3 nos Green Chili slit
- 2 nos Red Chili
- 1 inch Ginger finely chopped
- 3 nos Garlic cloves finely chopped
Instructions
- Wash the spinach thoroughly and chop it roughly set aside.
Cooking Dal
- Take toor dal, moong dal in a vessel. Wash the dal thoroughly. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and 2 cups of water.
- Pressure cook the dal for 4-5 whistles. Allow the pressure to naturally release, mash the dal thoroughly and set it aside.
Tempering
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds, allow it to sputter. Then add green chili, red chili, curry leaves and give a mix.
- Next, add chopped onions along with chopped garlic and ginger. Saute the onions till translucent.
- When the onions turn translucent, add tomato along with pinch of turmeric.
- Cook till the tomatoes are mushy. Then add chopped spinach to the pan. Saute the spinach till its tender.
- Now, add mashed dal along with 1/2 of water to adjust the consistency. Add salt and give a good mix.
- Bring the Paruppu Keerai to boil and switch off the flame.
- Relish the healthy and delicious Paruppu Keerai with rice!!
Video
Nutritional Info
INSTRUCTIONS WITH STEP BY STEP PICTURES:
- Wash the spinach thoroughly and chop it roughly set aside.
COOKING DAL
- Take toor dal, moong dal in a vessel. Wash the dal thoroughly. Add a pinch of turmeric powder and 2 cups of water.
- Pressure cook the dal for 4-5 whistles. Allow the pressure to naturally release, mash the dal thoroughly and set it aside.
TEMPERING
- Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds, allow it to sputter. Then add green chili, red chili, curry leaves and give a mix.
MAKING PARUPPU KEERAI
- Next, add chopped onions along with chopped garlic and ginger. Saute the onions till translucent.
- When the onions turn translucent, add tomato along with pinch of turmeric.
- Cook till the tomatoes are mushy. Then add chopped spinach to the pan. Saute the spinach till its tender.
- Now, add sambar powder. Add salt and give a good mix.
- Add mashed dal along with 1/2 of water to adjust the consistency.
- Bring the Paruppu Keerai to boil and switch off the flame.
- Relish the healthy and delicious Paruppu Keerai with rice!!