Keerai Kootu

A thick, creamy, mildly flavored spinach dish prepared with lentils, ginger and cumin.

Keerai Kottu

Keerai Kootu

A thick, creamy, mildly flavored spinach dish prepared with lentils, ginger and cumin.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Cuisine: Tamil
Difficulty: Easy
Special Diet: Kosher, Vegan, Vegetarian
Allergen: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Peanut Free, Soy Free, Treenut Free
Category: Beans & Lentils, Kosher Pareve, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian
Main Ingredient: Vegetables
Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients

Recipe Pack

  • 1 pack Keerai Kootu Recipe Kit (No. 37)

Indian Groceries

  • 0.5 cup Split Pigeon Peas (Hindi name: Arhar or Toor Dal) [0.5 cup = 3.5 oz]

Produce & Natural Foods

  • 1 cup Fresh Spinach [1 cup Fresh Spinach = 7 oz Frozen Spinach]
  • 1 piece Fresh Ginger Root [2 inch long & roughly ½ inch diameter OR Equivalent]
  • 0.5 piece Jalapeno

Basic Cooking Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil [Sunflower, Safflower, Canola or Olive Oil based on preference]
  • 0.75 teaspoon Salt

Instructions

Preparation

  • Cutting & Chopping

    1. Clean & wash spinach.
  • 2. Peel & finely dice fresh ginger root OR grate using ginger grater.
  • 3. De-seed & finely dice jalapeno.

Cooking

  • Boiling Spinach & Lentils

    1. Boil spinach & 0.5 cup of lentil with 2.5 cups of water and entire contents of Gold Pack until tender and thickened. Lentils can be boiled in pressure cooker OR sauce pan with lid. If cooking in sauce pan add more water to prevent drying out.
  • Preparing Herb & Spice Mix (Layering Technique)

    Layer 1
    Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in frying pan on medium-high heat.
  • Layer 2
    When oil is heated, turn heat to medium and add entire contents of Silver Pack to roast spices. Continue on medium heat, stirring often, till you smell slight aroma of roasted spices. It will take 15-20 seconds to roast spices if oil is hot enough.
  • Layer 3
    Add diced ginger and de-seeded jalapeno. Continue on medium heat, stirring often, until the ginger loose their pungent smell and start smelling nutty & little sweet.
  • Layer 5
    Add 1.5 cups of water to the spice mix, add boiled spinach & lentils. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Notes

Lentils can be boiled in pressure cooker or sauce pan (covered with lid). If cooking in sauce pan add more water to prevent drying out.
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