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Keerai Masiyal - Simple Spinach Mash

A simple spinach mash prepared in Tamil Brahmin Cuisine, totally healthy and vegan too - Keerai Masiyal.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 bunches spinach fat (7-8 cups finely chopped with thin stems - exclude the thick stems)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • to taste Salt
  • 1 tbsp dal udad
  • 2 chillies dried red , broken into pieces
  • 1 tsp rice flour heaped (dissolved in 2 tbsp water) (You can use wheat flour alternatively)

Special equipment

    Instructions
     

    • In a very heavy bottom pan (traditionally a kal-chatti /heavy stone pot) place the chopped spinach leaves with half cup water. Keep the flame on medium high. It will take 6-7 minutes for spinach to completely wilt and release the water content.
    • Keep mashing the spinach in the pot with the heavy iron /wooden spoon. Once thoroughly cooked, remove the pot from flame. Keep it on the counter top and mash well for 3-4 minutes, until the spinach is creamy. Add salt to taste.
    • In a small skillet, place 1 tsp of oil and put in the udad dal. Fry until light golden, and then add the red chillies. Saute for a few seconds until crisp and slide the tempering onto the mashed spinach. Add the rice flour-water mix into the pot as well, place it back on the flame, let the whole mix come to a simmer. The rice flour will get cooked and flavours of the tempering will merge into the mash.
    • Serve hot with rice.

    Notes

    Notes:
    Since there are very few ingredients, it is best to use the freshest possible spinach for this dish. Frozen spinach could work well too. We always use regular spinach, but I guess baby spinach would work as well.
    Finally I get to send something for Nupur's A-Z of Indian Vegetables - M for Masiyal.
    I would also like to submit this in addition to this for RCI - Tamil Cuisine.
    Recipe source- Traditional tamil brahmin recipe