Spinach Masiyal / Keerai Masiyal

I love eating greens/keerai in all forms, poriyal,sambar,n masiyal with dal n this recipe is without dal n very quick and easy too. I just love eating this keerai masiyal with rice n papad, so comfort n satisfying meal. This is my Mom's n Grand Mom's recipe, they use to make this masiyal with all types of greens/keerai. And also they use Homemade Thalippu Vadagam for tempering to this keerai masiyal, that really gives nice flavor n unique taste to the masiyal. But i don't have that in hand so did with usual tempering ingredients. I love adding more garlic to Keerai masiyal if u don't like you can skip or just add only 1 or 2 garlic cloves. The recipe as follows..

Ingredients

1. Spinach   1 Bunch
2. Garlic    5-6 fat cloves
3. Sugar     a pinch
4. Tamarind   1pea sized piece
5. Salt   to taste

To Temper

1. Oil   1-2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds    1/4 tsp
3. Urad dal   1/4 tsp
4. Dry Red chili    3no.s(broken)
5. Cumin Seeds   1/4 tsp
6. Hing     a pinch
7. Onion   1 small onion(sliced)

Method

• In a wide vessel or clay pot, add garlic, tamarind, chopped spinach,sprinkle sugar n very little water and cook covered for 4-5 minutes or until done.

• Once spinach get cooked, drain the excess water in a small bowl, add enough salt and using Maththu to a fine coarse paste or simply allow to cool n blend it in a blender and transfer to bowl and add the drained water mix it keep aside.

• Now heat oil in a tempering pan, add mustard n cumin seeds allow it to pop and add urad dal n dry red chilies and saute till dal turns light golden brown.
• And add onions and saute it for a minute n sprinkle hing and turn off the stove n n add the tempering to the Spinach Masiyal.
• That's it Delicious Spinach Masiyal ready. Serve with hot rice n a dollop of ghee. We had with cocktail pepper papads n Plantain Podimas(posting soon).

Notes:
Adding onions to the tempering is optional, but it gives nice crunchy taste to the masiyal.
If u don't have maththu simply use your blender.
You can also add 1/2 chopped tomato to the spinach n cook.