Keerai Kuzhambu/Amarnath leaves gravy (My home style)

How much ever delicious food we have elsewhere, all of us will always crave for a simple yet mouth watering home made food! I am sure all of you would agree with me. So next in the series of my home style cooking, I am sharing with you all keerai kuzhambu recipe (we call it keera pulla kootu at home). This can be made with any type of greens like ara keerai/siru keerai/mulaikeerai etc. I have used mulaikeerai ( thota koora in Telugu and amarnath leaves in English). Keeping in mind the loads of weddings to be attended in the coming weeks, myself and mom decided to keep it simple this weekend and trust me there can be nothing more satisfying than having such a simple and complete home made food along with your family! Happy weekend :)

INGREDIENTS:

• Any type of greens of your choice - 1 bunch (I used amarnath leaves/thota koora/mulaikeerai)
• Onion - 1 big, chopped
• Toor Dal - 1 cup
• Sambar powder - 2 Tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 Tsp
• Fenugreek powder - a generous pinch (methi/vendhayam/menthulu)
• Tamarind - gooseberry sized or Amchur/dry mango powder - 1 1/2 Tsp
• Green chillis - 2, slit
• Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp
• Fenugreek/methi seeds - 2-3
• Oil - 1 Tsp
• Salt - as needed

METHOD:

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes and then extract the juice. Keep aside
2. Wash the greens thoroughly and chop them. Boil them till the leaves soften
3. Pressure cook the dal with enough water for 1-2 whistles (you can also pressure cook it along with rice)
4. In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and methi seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the slit green chillis and saute for a few seconds
5. Now add in the chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent
6. Next add all the spice powders - red chilli powder, sambar powder, methi powder and mix well
7. Add boiled greens, cooked dal, enough water and salt and mix well. Add the tamarind extract or add the amchur powder dissolved in 2 Tbsps of water 
8. Allow the gravy to boil (if you are adding tamarind extract, then it has boil for a longer time so that the raw smell of the tamarind goes off)
9. Remove from heat and serve hot with rice and any dry curry or pappad