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Dec
30
Garlicky Mashed Water Spinach (Poondu Keerai Masiyal)
December 30, 2009 |
Water Spinach / Water Morning Glory / Kangkung
Recipe Marathon: Day 6.
In Tamil, Poondu=Garlic, Keerai=Greens, Masiyal=Mashed.
Water Spinach is called Kalmua, Kalmi, Kalmisag, Patuasag in Hindi and Vallai Keerai in Tamil. (Link)
We’re so tired of spinach. It’s the only green we find in the frozen section in most stores. Plus, non-organic spinach is laced with around 40 pesticides along with e-coli and goodness knows what else.
The Chinese store is a good place to find wonderful greens in various varieties. (Leave Brahmin boy in the car, though, because of the occupational hazards involved.)
Water Spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) or kangkung is one of them. In Chinese it’s called kong xin cai, which means “hollow-stemmed vegetable”. Its sword-like leaves have a sweet taste and silken texture when cooked, much like amaranth leaves.
Keerai Masiyal usually has neither garlic nor lentils, but we like this version. The lentils make them creamy and the garlic makes it oh so good.
Put 1/4 cup split green gram (moong dal) on the stove with 3/4 cup of water and 1/4 tsp turmeric to boil. If you remember, soak the lentils first for half an hour. Either way, cook them until they are about 3/4 done.
Puree to fine
6 to 7 cups packed greens
2-3 green chillies
a small piece of ginger
We need 2 cups puree.
**if you like some texture, use the pulse button on the blender.
When the lentils are 3/4 done, add the puree along with a little salt - about half tsp. - less than you think you need, as it will cook down.
Bring it to a boil uncovered, then turn down the heat and let it simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes until it loses the raw smell and thickens a bit. The lentils should be cooked by now. Taste and add more salt if you need to.
Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil or ghee in a pan.
Add
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 crushed dry red chillies
1/2 tsp urad dal
a pinch of asafoetida
When the seeds start popping, add 4 cloves of finely sliced garlic and let them turn golden.
Pour it over the greens, stir and serve right away. Good with rice, better with lime-flavoured tortilla chips.
BE A MAN !!
Indian goes to the Chinese store.
Garlic, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes, Water Spinach/Kangkung
oh god!! i cant remember the telugu name of this variety of greens… my mom would saute it with onions, garlic and cumin seeds….it tasted yum… masiyal with tortilla chips eh… that’s inventive…i love the browned garlic in the tadka… gives it such a nice flavour
Wondering if this simple but obviously nutritious dal/ soup can be made with kale and red lentils? We have just started including kale in our diet and I have some in the fridge.
Love Russel Peters.
i keep seeing this in stores here but never bought them cuz i wasn’t sure how i can cook them. didn’t know they can be used just like any other keerai.
@ arundati:If I am not wrong these greens are called..PONNAGANTI…in Telugu…long time since I saw them.
isn’t ponnangani toxic? it’s althernathera sessilis
http://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=44299
also called sessile joyweed.
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Sessile%20Joyweed.html
apparently there are seven types of greens called ponnangani keerai. only one is safe - the native variety called naattu ponnangani keerai.
water spinach is ipomoea aquatica. the tamil name is vallai keerai.
http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Ipomoea.html
yummy this looks,..;-)wish u both happy new yr 2010….
Keerai masiyal is another comfort food. But we saute the keerai in gingelly oil until wilted and cooked and then grind it to a paste. That gives a different flavour altogether. However it is cooked keerai masiyals are all time comfort food! As sahiti says, this looks like ponnanganni keerai. Is it so?
it’s vallai keerai.
http://www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au/Sorting/Ipomoea.html
Looks delicious! have seen these in the chinese stores as well, might give it a try.
Looks yummy. I am from Tamilnadu as well, and thought I’d never get ponnanganni keerai, sundaikai or karisalan-kanni here. Must try the chinese markets now.
Wishing you a very happy new year.
Looks very delicious. We too look for different greens in Chinese stores. I started making these greens after Amma said they taste like Ponnagani Keerai,although they look a little different. The other greens we get there is the drumstick leaves and the red amaranth leaves. Hope you get them at your place.
Ha ha - the eyes fooled me. When I first spotted the title I thought I was reading Garlicky Mashed Watery Spinach…. I thought, Jai/Bee have totally lost it! Who wants Watery Spinach? Turns out I am the one losing it (which is totally reassuring in its own way - world has not altered on its axis after all).
Had not read the Occupational Hazards post before. If anybody else missed that one on the first go-round, it is well worth the trip back in time.
Healthy New Year, everyone!
I have had amaranth leaves but not water spinach. The green of the soup in the photo is amazing.
Masiyal is a hot (isn’t as good when cold!) favourite in my house! Those greens are new to me. The appearance reminds me of flat chives we get here when the rains start. I make these with chowli leaves. Picture is great as always!
Hope you are having a great start this year.
Even though this is a preparation which isn’t very visually enticing, its an all time favourite (non garlicky, though) with us.
With chips? NOw that i should try!
Have never seen them before, will look for this when I visit the Asian stores next time..