‘Keerai’in Tamil refers to all green leafy vegetables. The one used for molagootal - a Palakkad speciality – is chowli leaves, but I generally use spinach or palak leaves since it is easier to clean. Spinach is abundantly available during this season and I get it practically off the fields, so it is something I enjoy cooking in various ways – Hara bhara kababs, palak paneer etc. I won’t expound on the benefits we derive from green leafy veggies but you will find it all here if interested. I remember my kids eating their greens really quick thanks to Popeye!Molagootal/milagootal is basically boiled vegetables mixed with a gravy made of cooked dal and coconut+jeera+red chillies ground together with the a little water. It is a versatile dish and doesn’t require any thing more than rice to make a full meal. Here’s how it is done:
Ingredients: (Serves 5)
Spinach – 2 big bunches
- Separate the good leaves, cut off the ends of the stems, wash scrubbing the leaves thoroughly, drain and chop fine. Sometimes you will find a thin white line on spinach leaves – This is the path of a worm embedded in the leaf – discard such leaves!
Salt – to taste
Turmeric/haldi powder – 1/2tsp.
Salt – to taste
Turmeric/haldi powder – 1/2tsp.
Coconut (Freshly grated) – 1 cup
Cumin seeds/jeera – 1tsp.
Dry red chillies – 3small Nos.
Cooked Tuvar/Arhar dal – 1+1/2 cup
Seasoning:
Coconut oil – 1tsp.
Mustard/rai seeds – 1tsp.
Method:
1. Cook the spinach in about 3/4cup water with haldi and salt till. Mash roughly with a kadchi and set aside.
2. Grind coconut, jeera and dry red chillies with enough water to chutney like consistency. (Variation – Substitute jeera with equal quantity of well roasted urad dal for this recipe)
3. Mash the cooked dal with the back of a ladle slightly. Add it to the cooked spinach.
4. Add the coconut mixture to the spinach and dal. Mix with a ladle and pour water till comes to a chutney like consistency – a little thinner but not runny. Bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Remove from fire. Heat a tempering wok. Pour the coconut oil and add mustard seeds to splutter. Pour it into the spinach mixture and mix well.
2. Grind coconut, jeera and dry red chillies with enough water to chutney like consistency. (Variation – Substitute jeera with equal quantity of well roasted urad dal for this recipe)
3. Mash the cooked dal with the back of a ladle slightly. Add it to the cooked spinach.4. Add the coconut mixture to the spinach and dal. Mix with a ladle and pour water till comes to a chutney like consistency – a little thinner but not runny. Bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Remove from fire. Heat a tempering wok. Pour the coconut oil and add mustard seeds to splutter. Pour it into the spinach mixture and mix well.
This is a regular dish at my home as we all love it with hot rice and a dash of mango pickle – Avakkai. I am afraid it doesn’t taste nice with roti so try first with rice!
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