Spinach and Fenugreek in Coconut gravy

As I mentioned in my last post about my mother being my first teacher in cooking, I dedicate my first recipe to her. In my previous post I have mentioned about green vegetables being a super food.  I have also promised to keep my recipes simple and healthy. Well, the following recipe is a vegetable gravy dish that goes along with rice, bread, salads  or any other main course. It combines spinach and fenugreek but you can combine any two or more green leafy vegetables that are available in your neighbourhood. They are cooked in a coconut gravy and have boiled lentils in them for thickening. I have used bottle gourd  as another ingredient and potatoes, raw papaya, raw plantain can easily replace it .

This dish is a famous one in Karnataka state of South India and such gravies often become a part of regular meals.  They are served as an accompaniment to a combination of other dishes such as boiled rice, rice gruel(kanji) Flat breads(rotis), or millet breads(Bhakri). This is quite a tasty side dish which was relished by all in my family and I hope my readers would love it too.

Spinach and Fenugreek in coconut gravy.

Ingredients:

Spinach –chopped -2 cups

Fenugreek-chopped-1 cup

Onion - 1 medium chopped

Bottle gourd- cut into big pieces -1 cup

Yellow lentils (tur dal) -1/2 cup

Fresh grated coconut – ½ cup

Whole coriander seeds-1 tbl spoon

Dry red chillies- 4-5

Tamarind – a small lump

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Salt-to taste

For the tempering:

Coconut oil-  1 tsp

mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Asafoetida –a pinch

Curry leaves-4-5

Dry red chilly- 1 –broken into bits

Method:

In a pressure cooker combine lentils, spinach, fenugreek, bottlegourd,  add some onions and spare some for tempering ,add some water and cook till lentils are soft.

Dry roast coriander seeds and red chillies.  In a  blender/mixer jar combine coconut , coriander seeds, chillies, tamarind, turmeric powder, add a little water and blend into a  smooth paste.

In a pan combine the pressure cooked dal and vegetables, blended paste, add a a little water to adjust to required consistency and boil over medium fire. Add salt to taste.

To prepare the tempering , take a small pan heat  coconut oil, add mustard seeds, when they start crackling add asafoetida, chilly bits and curry leaves , remaining onions and sauté. When the mixture starts to release the flavor add it to the gravy, stir for a while. Serve hot.