Keerai Masiyal (Spinach Dal)

My 47th recipe, Keerai Masiyal (Spinach Dal), is a simple, wholesome, and nutritious dish packed with iron and goodness.

As a child, I was never one of those kids who happily ate greens and vegetables. Naturally, my mother rarely made dishes like this at home. After marriage, however, RK introduced me to this recipe, and it completely changed my opinion about greens.

I am not sure how people traditionally prepare Keerai Masiyal, but this bachelor-style version could not be easier. Just chop the ingredients, add everything to a pressure cooker, and let it do the work. The result is a comforting and flavorful dish that pairs beautifully with hot steamed rice. Until I tasted this recipe, I never imagined spinach—or any leafy green—could be so delicious. Today, I am a huge fan and make it at least once a week to enjoy both its wonderful taste and numerous health benefits. You can also prepare this recipe with almost any variety of greens available in your area.

Happy Kaanum Pongal!

Today marks the third day of the Tamil Pongal festival. Families dedicate this special day to expressing gratitude for the love and support of relatives and friends. Many people celebrate by gathering with loved ones and spending time at parks, gardens, zoos, beaches, and other popular attractions. As a result, most tourist destinations become extremely crowded on this day. If you would like to learn more about the Pongal celebrations, be sure to check out my earlier post on Thai Pongal.

Keerai Masiyal (Spinach Dal)

Keerai Masiyal

Revathi Palani

Keerai Masiyal | Spinach Dal is an easy and healthy south Indian gravy made with Keerai / Spinach, dal and tempered with aromatic Indian spices.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Gravy

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 packet Spinach leaves (or big bunch)
• ⅓ Cup Toor Dal -⅓ Cup
• ½ large Onion (roughly chopped)
• ½ large Tomato (roughly chopped)
• 1 large Green chilli (slit)
• 5 cloves Garlic
• ¼ tsp Turmeric
• ½ tsp Salt (adjust per taste)
• ¼ tsp Asafoetida
• ¾ Cup Water

To temper

• 1 tsp Oil
• ¼ tsp Mustard
• ½ tsp Broken Urad Dal
• ¼ tsp Jeera
• 2 Dry red chilli
• 4 Curry Leaves
• ¼ tsp Asafoetida

Instructions

 

• First clean the spinach and chop it roughly. Add all the ingrediants (except "To temper") into a pressure cooker.
  
• Cook for 3 whistles.
  
• Once the pressure subsides, remove the lid.
  
• Mash the cooked spinach and dal to a coarse texture. I used a traditional "Matthu".
  
• Now heat a kadai with oil, add the mustard. Once it splutters, add the other ingredients listed under "To temper".
  
• Once they turn golden brown in color, add them to the mashed dal. Give a nice stir.
  
• Transfer to a serving bowl and enjoy hot with cooked rice.
  

Notes | FAQ

- We get spinach in packets here in US. The spinach is already cleaned and stems removed.

- If buying the spinach bunch, remove the stems and wash the leaves throughly to remove any sand or mud that might be sticking.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!