Manathakkali-Keerai-Koottu

 #ManathakkaliKeeraiKoottu  #ManathakkaliKeeraiLentil :

#ManathakkaliKeerai is a medicinal plant which grows as a weed in fields, wooded areas, parks and along road sides in villages. It is also cultivated for its seeds and green leafy vegetables [ Greens ]. There are many varieties of manathakkali plants. The leaves of some plants are tender, deep green in color and less bitter in taste. These leaves are tastier than the other varieties and its image is shown below. Some plants have thick and serrated leaves with hairs, dull green in color and slightly more bitter in taste. The flowers are white in color. Usually the vegetables [ manathakkali ] are green in color with a green lampshade like structure at the top near the stem and fruits are black in color. There are some varieties whose fruits are orange in color.

The unripe fruits and fruits are called manathakkali. They are dried in the Sun and sold in the grocery shops as manathakkali vathal.

It is called Black Nightshade or Blackberry Nightshade in English.

The scientific name is Solanum nigrum.

The leaf - keerai is widely used in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the best remedies for mouth ulcers and stomach ulcers as well. We used to prepare a dish called manathakkali keerai paal saaru [ kazhani saaru ] regularly at home for lunch in which the leaves are cooked soft and coconut milk is added. This is specially made at home whenever a family member or members are suffering from mouth ulcers. The mouth ulcers are cured more effectively if the leaves are eaten raw. 

Manathakkali keerai is called Kasi soppu in Kannada. It is widely sold in the markets of Bangalore and Mysuru. But a very limited number of people consume them as greens at home. I have heard vegetable vendors saying that kasi soppu is being bought mainly by the people of Tamil origin and others use it sparingly.

Here in Chittaranjan also the people are not consuming this wonderful healthy leaves. They never knew that manathakkali keerai belongs to green leafy vegetable and can be eaten just like any other greens. We have seen these plants along the road side and also as wild growth in the backyard of our house. We have uprooted & planted them in our vegetable garden and have been reaping its benefits.

 Manathakkali is a rich source of vitamins such as vitamin A, B and C and minerals like iron, calcium, phophorous and magnesium. As I have mentioned earlier these leaves are more effective than any other medicine for mouth and stomach ulcers.

A tasty koottu can be prepared from #manathakkaliKeerai just the same way as we do with other greens adding cooked green gram and coconut paste.

Preparation time                  : 10 mins

Cooking Time                     : 10 mins

Quantity prepared               : 1 cup approx.

Ingredients :
1 Cup	Manathakkali keerai chopped
1/3 Cup	Green gram split
3/4 Tsp	Sambar Powder
1 pinch	Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp	Salt [ Adjust ]
To Grind :
4 Tsp	Coconut scrapings
1/4 Tsp	Cumin seeds
3 - 4	Black pepper
2 pinch	Rice flour
Tempering : :
1/2 Tsp	Vengaya vadavam
1/2 Tsp	Cooking Oil

Method :

Take Green gram in 3 liter pressure cooker and rinse well.

Add 3/4 Cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder [ I have used 1/4 Tsp of finely chopped turmeric tuber ].

Close the cooker with its lid and put the weight on.

Cook on HIGH flame for 3 whistles or after one whistle reduce the flame to SIM & cook for 5 minutes.

Open the cooker only after it ran out of steam.

Transfer into a bowl and keep aside.

In the meantime, grind coconut scrapings, cumin seed, black pepper and rice flour into a fine paste in a mixie [ blender ] and keep aside.

In the same cooker now add 1/3 cup of water, Sambar Powder, turmeric powder, chopped manathakkali keerai and salt.

Close the pressure cooker with weight on.

Pressure cook on HIGH flame for 2 whistles.

Turn off the stove and immediately release the pressure slowly and open it.

Add cooked green gram and coconut paste.

Mix well and allow to simmer for 3 - 4 minutes.

Koottu is ready and transfer into a serving bowl.

Heat a kadai with oil on a stove over medium flame.

Fry Vengaya vadavam and pour over the koottu in the serving bowl.

#ManathakkaliKeeraiKoottu is a great accompaniment to sambar rice or rasam rice.

ManathakkaliKeerai Koottu can also be mixed with hot white rice and relished along with 

any poriyal or kara curry 

or pickle

You may also like to try

Manathakkali keerai Rice

Murungai keerai paal saaru

Noolkhol leaf lentil

Manathakkali keerai paal saru [ Kazhani Saru ]

Vazhaipoo Koottu

vegetable pulillacurry

Manathakkali keerai Rice

Palak Koottu [ Palak Lentil ]

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Varieties

For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index

Palak-Koottu

#PalakKoottu  #PalakLentil : #Koottu is a thick gravy prepared from #greens or #vegetables adding lentil and coconut paste. #Koottu is served as a side dish for sambar or rasam rice for lunch. Some greens such as mulai keerai, siru keerai, venthaya keerai, manathakkali keerai, palak, etc., are suitable to prepare #Keeraikoottu. As #Greens are full of fiber, minerals and vitamins, we have to include them in our daily diet.
Here comes a recipe of koottu with #palakgreens

Ingredients :
1 cup	Palak greens chopped
1/3 cup	Green gram
3/4 Tsp	Sambar Powder [ adjust ]
1 pinch	Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp	Salt [ adjust ]
To grind :
4 Tsp	Coconut scraping [ adjust ]
2 or 3	Black pepper [ optional ]
1/4 Tsp	Cumin
1/4 Tsp	Rice flour
To Temper :
1/2 Tsp	Vengaya vadavam
1/2 Tsp	Oil

Method :

Take split green gram in a small vessel.

Wash and then add a pinch of turmeric powder.

Add 1/2 cup of water.

Add a cup of water in a pressure cooker and keep the above vessel inside the cooker.

Pressure cook on HIGH flame for 1 whistle and then reduce the flame to SIM & cook for 7 minutes.

Open the pressure cooker only after it ran out of steam.

Set aside.

Grind coconut, pepper, cumin and rice paste into a nice paste using a blender.

Keep aside.

Take a pressure cooker and add 1/4 cup of water.

Then add salt, Sambar Powder and turmeric powder.

Spread chopped palak leaves.

Over the leaves add cooked lentil and coconut paste.

Close the cooker with weight on.

Cook on HIGH flame for two whistles.

Immediately release pressure and mix well.

If it is thick add some hot water and mix well.

Transfer into a serving bowl.

Temper Vengaya vadavam and put over the koottu.

Tasty tasty palak koottu is ready to enjoy.

#PalakKoottu is a great accompaniment to sambar rice or rasam rice.
Palak koottu can also be mixed with hot white rice and relished along with any poriyal or kara curry or pickle

Other lentil recipes you might like to try

vazhaipoo koottu

noolkhol leaf lentil

Palak Masiyal

Palak Chappathy

Mushroom Palak soup

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Varieties

For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index

Palak-Lentil

#PalakLentil [ #PalakDhal ] : #Palak or #PalakKeerai tastes like Mulaikeerai. So if palak keerai is not available then mulaikeerai can be used in its place. Some years back we never used to get palak in Chennai and even now palak is not available in most parts of TN. But now #PalakKeerai is widely available in Chennai.  If the leaves are tender then it takes very less time to cook. Some varieties of palak tastes slightly bitter. Masiyal, palak koottu can be prepared using this keerai.
#Greens are good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. We should include green leafy vegetable in our daily diet.
Here comes a very tasty and simple recipe using palak.

Ingredients :
1/8 Cup	Green gram split
1/2 Cup	Palak, washed and chopped
1 small size	Tomato, washed and chopped nicely
1 medium size	Onion, peeled and chopped
1 or 2	Green chilly [ adjust ], slit lengthwise
10 to 12	Curry leaves
small amount	Coriander leaves to garnish
2 pinch	Turmeric powder
1/4 Tsp	Cumin powder
1/2 Tsp	Salt [ adjust ]
To Temper :
1/4 Tsp	Mustard seed
1/2 Tsp	Black gram split
1/2 Tsp	Oil

Method :
Take green gram in a 2/3 lt pressure cooker.
Wash once and add a pinch of turmeric powder and 1/4 cup of water.
Pressure cook on High flame for 3 whistles.
Open the pressure cooker only after it ran out of steam.

Heat a kadai with 1/2 Tsp of oil on a stove over medium flame.
Crackle mustard seeds and then add split black gram.
Then add green chilly and curry leaves once black gram turns golden color.
Saute for few seconds and then add chopped onion.
Saute till onion becomes pale pink in color.
Now add chopped tomato and saute till it becomes soft.
Add turmeric powder, cumin powder and salt.
Mix well and add chopped palak & 1/3 cup of water.
Add cooked green gram and simmer till palak cooks soft.
Adjust salt and turn off the stove.
Transfer into a serving bowl.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

#PalakKoottu goes well with white rice.
Tastes good with chappathy and puri also.

Other green leafy vegetable recipes 

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Varieties

For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index

Lentil - Side dish

#Lentil : #Koottu in Thamizh. 
Find links to recipes of #SideDish prepared with #Lentils like #greengram, #gramdhal, #thuvardhal etc.,.. which goes well with rice, #Dosai, #Poori, #Chappathi.

Use the picture grid shown below to go to posts of Lentil recipes.
Hover cursor over the picture to know the name of the recipe.
Click on the picture to take you to the recipe.

Dhal - Koottu - Lentil
kothamalli kootu - pulilla curry	veg kothamalli koottu	murungaikai kothamalli koottu
muttaikos koottu - cabbage lentil	murungaikai katharikkai koottu	Thakkali Koottu [ Tomato Lentil ]
sigappu keerai paruppu masiyal	siru keerai dhal	kodi pasalai [ spinach ] dhal
sambar pasalai dhal	vazhaipoo koottu	venthayakeerai koottu
parangi pinju koottu	venthayakeerai thakkali koottu	thakkali kai koottu
knol khol keerai dhal	suraikai [ bottle gourd ] koottu	red keerai koottu
venthayakeerai paruppu	venthaya keerai dhal	venthaya keerai koottu
Palak Lentil	Palak koottu	Chow chow koottu
Vazhaipoo kothamalli koottu	Snake gourd koottu	Coriander Lentil
Manathakkali keerai [ Black nightshade ] Koottu	Yellow pumpkin Flower in Cooking	Jute Leaf in Cooking

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Varieties

For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index