Keerai Masiyal

Our blogger buddy, Sarawasthy @ Taste of Sara's kitchen is celebrating her birthday today; let us all wish her a wonderful Birthday and many many happy returns of the day!

I am on a recipe marathon, should I say? Well, there are so many posts lying in my drafts for a long time. Before any of them go stale, I want to deliver them hot and fresh! :)

Keerai Masiyal / Mashed Amaranth Gravy is that my-kinda-food which I turn to, when I miss home, or when my spirits need a lift. My brain is so complicated and one thing that I often go over and over is "Green means Healthy".. So anything green, I would eat without grudges telling myself that I am doing something good for my health! Oh, I don't graze grass though, that the cows in my farm(ville) will take care! ;)

So, I was so overwhelmed with joy when I saw these amaranth (mullai keerai) here in a Srilankan store I frequent often. This bunch was silently peeping through and the following was the conversation.

Me: Hey wait, Aren't you that.... Amaranth... Mullai Keerai??? What are you doing here?

Amaranth: Don't be silly.. What do you think I'm doing in a grocer's shop? Waiting for someone to buy me..

Me: But I have never seen you here before..

Amaranth: Oh ya, everyone likes me so much that as soon as I arrive, they come and buy me off.

Me: Oh, I see... *still contemplating whether to buy it or not*

Amaranth: Hey listen, I know you have been searching for me for so long... So don't pretend! I am tired of the usual curries these people make. Take me home soon before someone else buys me. I will be happy turn into that Keerai Masiyal / Keerai Kootu your mom often makes. I know you love that too!

Half an hour later, I was coming back home in the train happily with a bunch in my bag. The fresh smell of the leaves had done enough to make me go hungry; over and above that I was now and then opening my bag and smelling them, much to the confusion of my fellow passengers! Heck, what do they know about Keerai Masiyal??!!

Keerai Masiyal

Mashed Amaranth tempered with spices and coconut

What we need:

Amaranth leaves / Mullai Keerai / Thota kurra - 1 small bunch

Coconut oil - 2 tbsp.

Mustard - 1 tbsp.

Cumin (Jeera) - 1 tbsp.

Red Chillies - 3 to 4, broken

Urad dal - 1 tbsp.

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Fresh Coconut, grated - 2 to 3 tbsp.

Rice flour - 2 tbsp.

Salt - as needed

Water - as needed

How to do:

1. Wash, clean and roughly chop the amaranth bunch. Make sure you trim the roots off.

2. Place them in a deep pan/vessel, add just enough water to immerse them, add a pinch of salt.

3. Bring them to a boil, when keeping the stove on medium-high. Then reduce the heat and boil for another 3 to 4 minutes. If the leaves are tender, they take less than 5 minutes to get cooked.

4. Dissolve the rice flour without lumps in 2 to 3 tbsp of water and and add it to the leaves. Add the remaining salt.

5. When the raw smell of the flour wears off, add the grated coconut, give a good mix and remove from the heat.

6. In a small seasoning pan, heat Coconut oil, add mustard seeds, followed by cumin, red chillies, urad dal and asafoetida.

7. When they are nicely done, add the seasoning to the gravy.

Notes:

You can add curry leaves to the seasoning for an added flavor.

Instead of using rice flour, you can soak a tbsp. of rice and grind it with coconut and add it to the gravy.

Use only coconut oil for seasoning; any other cooking oil won't bring out the actual flavor of this masiyal.

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See you all soon (now when I mean soon, it means soon!) with an interesting post! Till then, Happy Cooking and Happy Blogging! :)