Keerai Molagootal Recipe | South Indian Spinach KooTu

ByVidya Srinivasan
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Keerai molagootal recipe,  spinach kootu, keera kootu, Tamil Brahmin molagootal, keerai molagootal, spinach molagootal, South Indian molagootal, molagootal vs kootu, traditional Tamil vegetarian recipes, molagootal with coconut, molagootal for rice, easy molagootal recipe, healthy Tamil Brahmin food, molagootal Tamil Nadu dish with step-by-step pictures and video recipe. Check out the keerai kootu recipe, and if you like the video, pls SUBSCRIBE to my channel.

Healthy South Indian spinach curry with spices and lentils, served with rice or Indian bread.

Molagootal is a comforting Tamil Brahmin-style dish made with spinach or other greens, cooked along with dal and a mild coconut-based paste. Unlike spicy curries, molagootal is light, wholesome, and perfect for everyday meals. This traditional recipe is often paired with tamarind based kuzhambu variety, rasam variety, or pachadi, making it a balanced South Indian platter. Nutritious, easy to digest, and suitable for all ages, molagootal is a staple in many Tamil households and a beautiful example of simple, sattvic cooking.

Wash well, and finely chop

spinach might contain sand, so always wash well and trim. I finely chop them. You can chop according to your taste.

WHAT KIND OF DAL SHOULD I USE FOR  fenugreek leaves DAL?

In our home, I prefer using toor dal for my kootu varieties. You can use any dal of your choice.

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT Palakkad Keerai Kootu?

You can grind coconut and add dal, spinach, ground mixture, and water; cook in rice mode, and do natural pressure release

WHAT IS THE BEST COMBO FOR KEERA KOOTU?

It tastes best as a rice accompaniment when paired with potato roast and raw banana roast. It also goes well as a side for tamarind based kuzhambu variety, rasam variety.

South Indian spinach dish served with rice and spicy side dishes.

CAN I USE ANY OTHER OIL?

Yes, you can use the oil of your choice, but coconut oil gives the best flavour for the coconut-based methi dal kootu recipe.

What is molagootal? 

Molagootal is a Tamil Brahmin-style curry made with greens or vegetables, dal, and a mild coconut paste. It is less spicy than kootu and has a wholesome, comforting flavor.

Which vegetables or greens can be used for Palakkad molagootal?

Spinach (keerai) is most common, but you can also use pumpkin, ash gourd, drumstick leaves, or a mix of seasonal vegetables.

How is molagootal different from kootu?

Kootu is usually spicier and uses more seasoning, while molagootal is milder, lighter, and often prepared without heavy tempering, making it more sattvic.

Can molagootal be made without coconut?

Yes, but coconut is traditional and gives molagootal its creamy texture and authentic flavor. Skipping it will change the taste profile.

What do you serve with molagootal?

It pairs best with steamed rice and ghee, often accompanied by rasam or pachadi for a complete Tamil Brahmin meal.

Is molagootal healthy?

Absolutely. It combines protein-rich dal, fiber from greens, and healthy fats from coconut, making it a balanced vegetarian dish suitable for kids and elders.

Kootu recipes in TMF

Kuzhambu recipes in TMF

Pressure cooker based recipes in TMF

Vendhaya keerai recipes

Traditional South Indian spinach curry served in a copper bowl.

Ingredients

To pressure cook

1/2 cup toor dal

1+1/2 cups water

Sesame oil

Turmeric powder

To Roast & Grind

1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 tbsp urad dal

3 red chillies

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 cup coconut Water

To Temper

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp urad dal

1 red chilli

Asafoetida

keerai

3 cups keerai

1/2 cup water

Turmeric powder

Salt

How to make keerai Molagootal with step-by-step pictures

  •  Wash and soak toor dal for 10–15 minutes.

Toor dal 1/2 cup for South Indian spinach dish.

Wash hands thoroughly in hot water before cooking Keerai Molagootal.

Boiling hot water pouring into a pot of cooked yellow lentils and spinach.

Steaming spinach leaves in a pot for South Indian recipe preparation.

  •  Add water, turmeric powder, and a few drops of sesame oil; pressure cook for 5 whistles.

Close-up of turmeric powder being added to boiling water in a stainless steel pot.

Pressure cook 5 whistles for perfectly cooked South Indian spinach dish.

 

  •  Heat the coconut oil and roast the urad dal and red chillies until golden.

Pouring coconut oil into a pan for cooking, highlighting natural South Indian ingredients.

Red chillies on a black skillet, ready to be used in South Indian recipes like Keerai Molagootal.

Saute golden brown lentils and dried red chilies in a skillet for South Indian spinach dish.

  •  Transfer to a mixie jar; add cumin seeds, coconut, water, and grind to a smooth paste.

Cumin seeds being added to a cooking pot for South Indian spinach dish.

  •  Cook keerai with water + turmeric powder for 1 minute (just wilt).

Pouring water over chopped spinach for South Indian Keerai Molagootal.

Freshly cooked South Indian spinach dish in a pan, ready to serve.

  •  Add the ground coconut paste + a little water and boil for 2 minutes.

Pouring spicy tomato-based sauce over cooked spinach in a pan.

South Indian spinach kootu being cooked with water and spices.

Traditional South Indian spinach dish cooking process.

  •  Add the cooked dal and salt, and simmer for 5 minutes until creamy.

Traditional South Indian spinach curry with spices and coconut, served in a black pan.

Cooked dal being poured into a pan with spinach for South Indian KooTu.

Freshly boiled spinach cooked with spices for South Indian dishes.

  •  Heat coconut oil; roast mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilli.

Coconut oil melting in a black pan, used in South Indian spinach recipes.

Close-up of mustard seeds being toasted in a black skillet for South Indian cuisine.

Cooking Urad dal for South Indian spinach KooTu recipe with black gram dal.

Close-up of red dried chilies being roasted in a pan.

  •  Add asafoetida and pour the tempering over the molagootal.

Delicious South Indian spinach curry with lentils and spices, perfect for a traditional meal.

Traditional South Indian spinach curry served in a skillet with spices and lentils.

Healthy South Indian spinach curry with spices and lentils, served with rice or Indian bread.

molagootal

keerai molagootal
No ratings yet
Print Pin Comment

Ingredients

To pressure cook

  • 1/2 cup toor dal
  • 1 +1/2 cups water
  • Sesame oil
  • Turmeric powder

To Roast & Grind

  • 1/2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp urad dal
  • 3 red chillies
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 cup coconut Water

To Temper

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp urad dal
  • 1 red chilli
  • Asafoetida

keerai kootu

  • 3 cups keerai
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Turmeric powder
  • Salt

Instructions

  • Wash and soak toor dal for 10–15 minutes.
  • Add water, turmeric powder, and a few drops of sesame oil; pressure cook for 5 whistles.
  • Heat the coconut oil and roast the urad dal and red chillies until golden.
  • Transfer to a mixie jar; add cumin seeds, coconut, water, and grind to a smooth paste.
  • Cook keerai with water + turmeric powder for 1 minute (just wilt).
  • Add the ground coconut paste + a little water and boil for 2 minutes.
  • Add the cooked dal and salt, and simmer for 5 minutes until creamy.
  • Heat coconut oil; roast mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilli.
  • Add asafoetida and pour the tempering over the molagootal.

Video

Subscribe to my YouTube channelCheck out Traditionally Modern Food!
Tried this recipe?Mention @traditionallymodernfood or tag #traditionallymodernfood!

South Indian spinach dish served with rice and spicy side dishes.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating