Keerai (weekend herb)

Presenting to you My Dhaba’s weekend herb - the keerai, botanical name – Amaranthus Gangeticus, Indian version of the spinach but far more nutritious.

It is another leafy wonder considered to be as “the broom of the stomach” and is a wonderful cleaner. It is packed with riboflavin. One cup of cooked keerai contains a very high level of Vitamin A, foliate and thiamine which is the prescribed diet for pregnant and anemic women. Due to its high oxalic acid content, when used in moderation, it is a very good laxative.

There are many different varieties of keerai, all tasting slightly different – shiru keerai, ponnangenni, mullu keerai, etc. Even the gods eat their keerai! Lord Ranganatha at the great temple of Srirangam is routinely fed a preparation of keerai and lentils.



Here is the traditional recipe for making keerai poriyal.

Bringing ingredients together...

Keerai poriyal recipe (fried greens)

• Serves - 4
• Preparation time - 20 minutes
  
  Ingredients:
  Keerai – 3-4 cups of leaves, washed and cut into tiny shreds
  Onions – 2, medium size, finely chopped
  Garlic – 2-3 pods, chopped length-wise
  Oil – 1 teaspoon
  Ghee – 1 teaspoon
  Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
  Black gram dal – 1 teaspoon
  Dry red chillies – 2, medium size, medium hot, half broken
  Salt – ½ teaspoon, adjust to taste
  Bengal gram dal – 2 tablespoons, just sufficiently boiled for its grains to remain separate from one another.
  Coconut – 2 tablespoons, scraped
  
  Method: Heat a flat-bottomed vessel and pour in the oil and ghee. When very hot, add in the following order: mustard seeds to splutter, black gram dal to brown lightly, red chillies, then the chopped onions, and the flakes of garlic. Fry till the onions turn limp. Add the salt, sprinkle a little water, and cover with a lid. Cook till the greens are boiled and there is no water left. Just before removing from the heat, stir in the scraped coconut and boiled dal as garnishing. Serve hot as soon as it is made for a delicious flavor. Enjoy keerai poriyal.
  

Traditional Indian Home Cooking: Keerai Poriyal: Weekend Herb