Amaranth Kootu

Nothing beats a warm and healthy dhal on a rainy day. Amaranth (Mulai Keerai or Thandu Keerai) Kootu is the perfect chettinad side dish to rice and is sure to keep you feeling warm all day long!

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Amaranth Kootu

Nothing beats a warm and healthy dhal on a rainy day. Amaranth Kootu is the perfect chettinad side dish to rice and is sure to keep you feeling warm all day long!

Course: Curry

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Amaranth (4 cups chopped leaves and 2 cups chopped stems)
• ½ cup moong dhal
• 1½ cup water (for cooking dhal)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 4 tsp oil
• 8 pearl onions (cut into 4 pieces) (you can also use scallions or any other onions)
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp urad dhal
• 3 red chilies (broken in half)
• ½ cup water (use as needed to adjust consistency)
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Wash amaranth leaves and stems.
• Remove the leaves from the stem and chop them. Wash thoroughly and set aside.
• Next, remove the fibers from the stems when chopping. Chop into small pieces, wash, and then set aside.
• Then. add moong dhal to a pressure cooker. Wash thoroughly and drain the water.
• Add water, turmeric powder, and 1 tsp oil to the cooker.
• Cook the dhal for 1 whistle. Remove from flame and set aside to let the pressure release naturally.
• In a pan, add 3 tsp oil. Once hot, add urad dhal, cumin seeds, and red chilies.
• Once the urad dhal is golden brown, add pearl onions and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Now, add the chopped stems and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Then, add the chopped leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes. The leaves should shrink in size.
• Add the cooked dhal and mix well.
• Next, add crushed garlic and salt. Boil for 5 minutes.
• Mash the dhal so that the dhal mixes with the amaranth greens.
• Serve as a side dish with rice and sambar or rasam.