Keerai Masiyal (Spinach and Lentil stew)
‘Keerai’ in Tamil means ‘greens’ and ‘masiyal’ refers to a dish that has a mashy, smooth and flowy consistency like a porridge. Though there is quite a variety of masiyals we make at home, this one stands out and is a big favourite! Whenever we return from a long, tiring holiday, this simple masiyal is what I make for a complete satisfying homemade meal. With a few easy steps, this comfort food is very delicious, gentle on the stomach and packed with nutrition. Can be served to all ages (children above the age of 1).
Having said all this, a small word of caution, greens generally take a long time to digest, so I would not recommend Keerai Masiyal for dinner. Also, cooking greens in earthenware increases its taste, retains the natural colour and enhances the nutrition.
Ingredients
Spinach – 2 medium sized bunches
Ghee / clarified butter – 1 tablespoon
Thuvar dhal / split yellow moong dhal – 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds – 1 1/2 tablespoons
Salt – to taste ( I used 1/2 teaspoon)
Asafoetida – 1/2 teaspoon
Green chillies – 1 tablespoon finely chopped
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Whole dried red chilly – 1
Yield
~ 3 cups
(serving size – 3/4ths of a cup)
Prep time
1/2 hr
(to boil dhal)
Cook time
20 minutes
Method
1) Boil the dhal with the turmeric to a mashy consistency. Set aside.
2) Wash the chilles and spinach well in running water and cut them finely.
3) In a kadai/pan take the ghee, let it heat up a bit. Add half of the cumin seeds and let it splutter. Immediately add the asafoetida and the dry red chilly. Saute for 10 seconds.
4) Now add the cut green chillies. Saute for a minute on low flame. Add the spinach, salt, sugar and the rest of the cumin seeds. Add quarter cup of water and mix properly.
5) Allow it to cook for nearly 6 to 7 minutes in medium flame stirring occasionally. The spinach would have cooked by now.
6) Add the mashed dhal to the cooked spinach at this stage. Mix well. Let it start bubbling from the corners of the pan. Now with a potato masher slightly mash the dhal and spinach mixture to bring it to a porridge consistency, adjusting it by adding few spoons of water, if required. It should be of a flowy consistency, neither too thick nor too runny.
7) Serve Keerai Masiyal with steamed rice, jeera pulav or any indian bread.
Notes
- Soak the dhal for 1 hour before cooking, if possible, to speed up the cooking process.
- I used spinach in this recipe. You can use a whole variety of greens in place of spinach. Feel free to experiment with this basic recipe!
- Using green chillies is purely optional. If you want a more subtle variety of the masiyal/stew which can be served to children or people who want their food to be less spicy then avoid using green chillies.
- Do not cover the greens while cooking. Always cook on medium flame and in an open pan to retain the colour. Greens generally cook in a few minutes time, so don’t boil it for more than 5 to 8 minutes maximum. Otherwise there is great possibility of losing all the vital nutrients.
- Adding a spoon of sugar not only helps in retaining the colour but also helps in balancing the flavours. Jaggery or unrefined sugar can be healthier substitutes to regular white sugar.
