Paruppu Keerai / Dal Methi / Lentils Curry with Methi

Ingredients

1. Toor dal      150 gm
2. Methi Leaf       1 bunch
3. Pearl onions     5-6 no.s(or 1 medium sized onion chopped)
4. Tomato      1 no.(medium size)
5. Tamarind      a small piece
6. Green chilli     3-4 no.
7. Garlic    1 clove

To Temper

1. Oil    2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds     1/2 tsp
3. Chana dal       1 tsp
4. Jeera/Cumin seeds     1/2 tsp
5. Fennel seeds      1/4 tsp
6. Dry Red chillies      2 no.s
7. Hing       1/4 tsp
8. Curry leaves    few

Method

• Pressure cook dal with 3 cups of water 2 green chillies,onion,tomato and turmeric powder for 1-2 whistles. 
• Wash and clean the methi leaves and keep aside. '

• Do not mash the dal after it gets cooked, and do not drain the remaining water also. 
• To the cooked dal add the methi leaves (or any keerai) tamarind piece(adding tamarind is optional) to the cooked dal. 
• Let it cook till methi leaves get soft and cooked. 

• Now using a "Maththu" or hand mixer or simply mash it using a spatula and mix well. 
• Then heat a oil in a pan and add the tempering ingredients one by one and fry well 
• And add it to the dal and stir well. 
• Paruppu keerai ready. Serve with hot plain rice.

Notes:

If  you use Maththu to mash the paruppu keerai,it taste good than the hand mixer. Serve with hot plain rice along with ghee on top. Adding 3-4 chillies will not be spicy to the paruppu keerai, even kids can eat this spice level and serve them with ghee.
With the same recipe u can also use spinach ,amaranthus types(siru keerai,mulai keerai) etc.
You can also add butter(1/2 tbsp) to the boiling paruppu keerai(after adding methi leaves).

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