Spinach is known as pasalai keerai in Tamil and Palak in Hindi. Morekhuzhambu is a yogurt based spicy gravy. Generally ladies finger, radish, tomatoes are added to the morekhuzhambu. Today I have made with palak for a change.
Spinach is available all year round but is in season during the spring (March – June). It is well known for its nutritional qualities and has always been regarded as a plant with remarkable abilities to restore energy, increase vitality and improve the quality of the blood. There are sound reasons why spinach would produce such results, primarily the fact that it is rich in iron. Iron plays a central role in the function of red blood cells which help in transporting oxygen around the body, in energy production and DNA synthesis. Spinach is also an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folic acid as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2. Vitamin K is important for maintaining bone health and it is difficult to find vegetables richer in vitamin K than spinach.
Ingredients
Chopped Palak ( spinach) – 4 cups
Green chillies – 4-5
Jeera – 2 tsps
Ginger – 1 inch
Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup
Yogurt – 2 cups
Coconut oil- 1 tsp
Mustard – 1 tsp
Jeera ( cumin seeds) – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds ( methi/ vendayam) – 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida ( hing) – 2 pinches
Method
Wash the spinach well.
Wash and chop green chillies and ginger.
In a pan, add spinach, green chillies, ginger, jeera , little salt and 1/2 cup of water. Cook on a medium flame till the spinach becomes soft.
Cool the cooked spinach. Add coconut and grind to coarse paste. Add salt to taste.
Beat the yogurt well till it becomes smooth.
Add the yogurt and 1 cup of water to the ground spinach and mix well. Check for seasonings. Simmer to for few mins.
Heat the coconut oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add jeera and fenugreek seeds and hing. Sauté for few seconds and add the tempering to the simmering gravy.
Serve it hot with steamed rice drizzled with melted ghee.
