Pasalakeerai Kadayal | Mashed Red Vine Spinach with Dal | Keerai Masiyal

Today's recipe is Mashed Indian Spinach with Dal, a traditional recipe from Tamilnadu. In Tamil we call this as ' Pasalakeerai Paruppu Kadayal'. In English Pasalkeerai is called as various names like Basella alba and also known as Malabar Spinach, Red Vine Spinach, Indian Spinach, Creeping Spinach, Climbing Spinach etc..

This dark leafy green has lots of healthy benefits. It is more nutritious than any other greens. It is rich in iron and calcium. This spinach can be easily grown at home. It is a creeper plant. Below i have attached the picture of this plant which i have it in my terrace garden.

Ingredients :

• 30 to 40 leaves Pasala Keerai / Indian Spinach
• ( Pasala Keerai in Tamil. In English - 
• Basella alba and also known as Malabar Spinach,
• Red Vine Spinach, Indian Spinach, etc..  )
• 10 no of Shallots or 1 Red Onion, medium-sized
• 4 Garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 4 dry Red chilies
• 2 tbsp cooked and mashed Toor dal/ split pigeon peas / Red gram
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Oil

Preparation :

• Peel the shallots and roughly chop them.
• Wash the spinach leaves, roughly chop.
• Mash the garlic cloves with the help of a knife.
• Cook and mash the toor dal.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan/ kadai, when hot add cumin seeds and allow it to crackle.

• Add dry red chilies and garlic cloves to it and fry for few seconds.

• Add the chopped shallots to it and fry till it turns a light golden brown color.

• Then add the spinach leaves/ pasala keerai and salt, give them a good mix.

• Saute and cook until it is wilted, say about 3 to 5 minutes

• Then add the cooked dal and 1/2 cup of water and mix well.

• Cook till the water is absorbed.

• Transfer to a bowl for easy mashing or grind it in mixie or blender.

• With the help of wooden masher/ mathu, mash them.

• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with hot piping rice and a dollop of ghee to it.

↓ Video Recipe ↓