Spinach Lentil

#SpinachLentil : This is called #SambarPasalai in Tamil. These leaves are not commonly available in vegetable market or on the shelves of super market. You could see these plants with rosy purple color flowers on waste lands or in parks as weeds or in backyard gardens.

The leaves are slightly sour in taste. So in my view it got its name 'Sambar Pasalai'. It cooks very quickly, even quicker than Kodi pasalai or Palak.
Generally all green leafy vegetables are rich sources of vitamins, minerals and fibers. It is very important to include atleast any one green leaves in our food daily. The vitamins and minerals present in these green leaves are more than the much fancied carrots.

Ingredients :
1/2 cup                                  Sambar Pasalai
1                                            Onion, nicely chop
1 or 2                                    Green Chilly, split lengthwise
1                                            Red chilly, break into pieces
1                                           Tomato, chop nicely
1 or 2 Tbsp                           Coriander leaves nicely chopped
8                                           Curry leaves
1/4 cup                                 Green gram dhall
1/4 Tsp                                 Asafoetida
1/2 Tsp                                 Mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp                                 Cumin seeds
1 Tsp                                    Urad dhall
1/4 cup                                 Coconut milk
1/2 Tsp                                Oil

Method :
Wash pasalai leaves 2 or 3 times in water and place over a cutting board to drain excess water.

Pressure cook dhall adding a pinch of turmeric powder & 1.2 cup water for 3 whistles and 4 minutes at SIM. Set aside.
Heat a kadai with oil over a slow flame.
Crackle mustard and cumin seeds.
Then add broken pieces of red chilly, asafoetida powder and urad dal.

Fry till dhall turns golden color and then add green chilly, curry leaves, half of coriander leaves and onion.
Saute until onion gives out a nice aroma.

Then add chopped tomato and saute for 2 minutes.
Add cooked dhall and 1/2 cup of water.
Bring it to boil and allow to simmer until onion becomes soft.
Keep the flame at SIM and then add chopped pasalai leaves and coconut milk.

Mix well and allow to simmer until leaves get cooked.

Turn off stove and add coriander leaves.

Transfer into a serving bowl.

This is mixed with hot white rice adding a dash of ghee and relished with sambar and curry / poriyal.

This lentil also goes well with poori and chappathy.
Unlike other green leafy vegetables it changes to dull green color after cooking. But its sourness gives a distinct taste to the recipe.






 You may also like to try

vazhaipoo koottu

noolkhol leaf lentil

vegetable pulillacurry

venthayakeerai thakkali koottu

venthayakeerai dhal

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

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For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index

Sirukeerai Lentil

#SirukeeraiLentil : Sirukeerai is one of the varieties of #Amaranth whose leaves are very small in size.
Its scientific name : Amaranthus tricolor.
Green leafy vegetables are consumed for its fiber content and also to get valuable vitamins and minerals.
Here let me present a lentil recipe with this tasty sirukeerai.

Ingredients :
1/2 Cup                                      Sirukeerai, washed and chopped
1/2 Cup                                      Green gram dal
1/4 Cup                                      Coriander leaves
10                                              Curry leaves
1                                                Onion, chop
2 or 3                                         Green chilly, slit lengthwise
1                                                 Tomato, chop nicely
1 pinch                                        Turmeric powder
3/4 Tsp                                        Salt

To Grind :
3 Tsp                                         Coconut scrap
1/2 Tsp                                      Cumin
6 or 7                                         Black Pepper
1                                                Green chilly

To Temper :
1/2 Tsp                                     Mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp                                     Cumin
1 Tsp                                        Urad dal
1 or 2                                       Red chilly
1/4 Tsp                                     Asafoetida powder
2 Tsp                                        OIl

Method :
Pressure cook green gram dal for 3 whistles and 3 minutes at SIM.
Keep aside.
Grind the given ingredients into a smooth paste in a blender adding enough water.

Keep aside.

Heat a kadai with oil over a slow flame.
Crackle mustard and cumin seeds.
Then add broken pieces of red chilly, asafoetida powder and urad dal.

Fry till dal turns golden color and then add green chilly, curry leaves, half of coriander leaves and onion.
Saute until onion gives out a nice aroma.

Then add chopped tomato and saute for 2 minutes.
Finally add chopped sirukeerai and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer into the cooker with cooked dal.
Now add the coconut paste also.

Heat over a medium flame until sirukeerai becomes soft.

Transfer into a serving bowl.
Top it with coriander leaves.

Excellent side dish for poori and chappathy.
This can be mixed with hot white rice adding a dash of ghee and enjoyed with any curry of your choice.






You may also like to try

vazhaipoo koottu

noolkhol leaf lentil

vegetable pulillacurry

venthayakeerai thakkali koottu

venthayakeerai dhal

Pasalai - Spinach Lentil 

For other tasty dishes

Recipe Index

Ideas for breakfast and dinner

Tiffin Varieties

For Lunch Dishes

Lunch Recipes Index

How to cook dhal ( paruppu - lentil - legume )?

To cook dhal [lentil ] in a pressure cooker

Dhal [lentil ] can be cooked in a pressure cooker directly or using a separator.
To cook dhal in pressure cooker/pan
Wash 1/2 cup of thuvar dhal (Arahar dhal) thoroughly.
Add 11/4 cup of water.
Keep on High flame.
After three whistle reduce flame to SIM position and cook for 7 minutes.
For green gram dhal 3 whistles are enough.
Take out after steam has completely subsided.
Your dhal is ready to use.

If the dhal is cooked in a separator or a vessel that fits into pressure cooker
Add a cup of water to the cooker & place the bottom plate.
Take 1/2 cup of thuvar dhal [ toor dhal ] in a separator or a vessel that goes into the cooker.
Wash 2 times and add 1 cup of water.
Keep the separator with thuvar dhal on the stand inside the cooker & close the lid.
Put the weight on & heat over HIGH flame.
After one whistle reduce the flame to SIM and cook for 10 minutes.
For green gram dhal after one whistle reduce flame to SIM and cook for 5 minutes.
Open the cooker after the steam has completely subsided.
Now dhal is ready to use.