Spinach with Lentils Curry / Palak Keerai Kuzhambu

Spinach is the easiest of all greens curry to make. Since the leaves are big, it is easy to clean and doesn't get messy. The days I feel lazy to cook, I can rely on Palak Keerai/ Spinach for a quick fix. Rice, Spinach curry, curds/yogurt and a "mor milagai" easily becomes a complete lunch.

Palak Keerai Kuzhumbu

Ingredients

• Spinach/ Palak - 1 bunch
• Moong dal - 3 handful
• Onion - 1 large
• Tomato - 2 medium
• Green chilies - 4 - 5
• Garlic pods -5
• Turmeric powder - 1/4th teaspoon
• Salt - as required
• Oil - 3 teaspoon 

Spinach with lentils curry

Seasoning

• Oil - 1 teaspoon
• Mustard - 1 teaspoon
• Cumin/ Jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
• Red chilli - 1 - 2
• Garlic pods - 5 finely chopped

Preparation

1. Take the Spinach bundle, separate the leaves from the stem, wash them, chop it and set it aside.
2. In a pressure cooker take the Moong dal and pour in half litre of water. Pour 3 teaspoons of oil, add the chopped Spinach leaves. 
3. Slice the onions and tomatoes into big pieces, slit the green chillies, take the garlic pods, turmeric and salt into the cooker. Pressure cook it for 7 - 10 minutes.
4. Allow the pressure to cool off, drain the water in a vessel and set it aside. Now mash the lentil and spinach mix thoroughly.
5. Finally season the curry with all the items under "seasoning" and pour the separated water back into the curry. Serve hot with rice.  

1. Tips - You can serve the drained water from the curry as soup. It will be thick because of the lentils in them. I purposely pour more water while cooking this curry as I love to have the "extracted" soup! :p 
2. You could fry some "more milagai" and have it along with this curry, rice and some ghee.