Keerai Chaaru (Curry with Greens Extract)

Even this recipe is from my mom. She used to make this often. This will be very thin and no spices except red chilli is added to this. It tastes very different and tastes very good. After a long time, I am tasting this, as I couldn't find these greens here in my place.

While I was to market last week, I found these greens. Immediately I grabbed one bunch, as this recipe came into my mind. This will be best option, if you really want any curry or sambar recipes without dal.

Ingredients:

Indian Spinach /Arakkeerai - 1/2 bunch (arakkerai bunch was very big, so I used half the bunch)
Red Chilli - 4 to 6 (can add more if you want it to be very spicy, as this is the only spice we add to this curry)
Tamarind - small lemon size ball (Soak for few mins and extract the juice, about 2 cups)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

For grinding:
Coconut - 3 tbsp
Pearl onions - 3 or 4 (You can also use normal onions, if you don't have this)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Note:

Remove the stem and just pluck the leaves alone. Then chop it or just hold the leaves in between your arms and pull away from each other. Do like that, so that your greens get almost chopped in minutes. (Arakkeerai/Indian spinach will be like this)

Method:

1) Heat a pan, add little oil. Add the red chillies and get it roasted very well, until it turns dark in color. Let it cool and keep it aside. Also grind the ingredients given to a fine paste and keep it aside.

2) Now heat a pan, add remaining oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add urad dal.

3) Now add the tamarind juice. Also add the roasted red chillies by just crushing those chillies, by placing it in your arms. (See that the chillies are not hot) Also add turmeric powder and salt. Let it boil.

4) Once it started to boil, add the greens and let it cook. (Do not cover while you cook greens)

5) It takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Once the color changes, add the coconut paste.

6)Let it boil for about 3 minutes and you can remove from the flame.

Highly nutritious, healthy and delicious keerai chaaru is ready in few minutes.