Keerai Thandu Poriyal recipe with step by step photos. A quick and delicious stir fry using spinach stalks. It is usually made with the thick stalk of “thandu keerai”. It is known as “Foxtail Amaranth” (Amaranthus Caudatus) in English.
In my maternal home, its a custom to cook thandu keerai alternating with agathi keerai on Sundays for worshipping Goddess “Amman”during the tamil month of “Aadi”, which falls between mid July and mid August. My Grandma always stored the seeds and planted thandu keerai and cultivated it during July.
Unlike other keerai varieties like “Mulai Keerai”, “Siru Keerai” or “Arai Keerai” this thandu keerai grows very tall, almost 3 to 7 feet from the ground. It is said that “Thandu keerai” is a rich source of fibre and calcium and is eaten often during the fasting month.
At home, we not only use the leaves, but also use the thick stalk to make sambar. The thin stem that is on top is used for sambar while the thick stalk, from the mid section to the bottom, is used to make this poriyal.
If you do not get thandu keerai stalks, you can also follow the same recipe with sigappu mulai keerai (Red spinach). I use the leaves to make sigappu mulai keerai masiyal and use the thicker stalk to make this stir fry.
Removing the thick fibre is important while chopping the stalk of thandu keerai. Just break the stalk in two and pull away to remove most of the fibre from the stalks. Then chopping them finely will be easier.
Keerai Thandu Poriyal recipe with stepwise photos:
1. Break the thandu (stem or stalk) into 2 first and remove the fibre. Chop finely into roundels and keep aside.
2. You can also use the stalks of Red Amaranthus (sigappu mulai keerai).
3. Soak yellow moong dal in 1/4 cup water for 10 to 15 mins.
4. Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and let it pop. Add onions, green chilies and saute till the onions turn translucent.
5. Add chopped keerai thandu. Drain the water from moong dal and add the dal to the pan.
6. Add salt, mix well and close the pan with a tight fitting lid and let it cook over low flame for 5 to 7 mins. Add red chili powder, sprinkle a handful of water, mix well and close the pan with a lid. Cook over low flame for 2 to 3 mins.
7. Add curry leaves, fresh grated coconut and toss well. Switch off stove. Keep the pan closed for another 2 more mins for the flavors to merge well. Keerai thandu poriyal is ready.
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Keerai Thandu Poriyal Recipe details below:
- Keerai thandu (Spinach stalks) - 250 gms
- Yellow Moong dal - 3 tbsp
- Onion - 1
- Green chili - 2
- Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
- Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
- Red chili powder - 1 tsp
- Curry leaf - 1 sprig
- Freshly grated coconut - 4 tbsp
- Salt - to taste
- Oil - 2 tbsp
- Soak yellow moong dal in 1/4 cup water for 10 to 15 mins.
- Break the thandu (stem or stalk) into 2 first and remove the fibre. Chop finely into roundels and keep aside.
- Chop onions finely. Slit the green chilies into two.
- Heat a pan with oil. Add mustard seeds and let it pop.
- Add onions, green chilies and saute till the onions turn translucent.
- Add chopped keerai thandu. Drain the water from moong dal and add the dal to the pan.
- Add salt, mix well and close the pan with a tight fitting lid and let it cook over low flame for 5 to 7 mins.
- Add red chili powder, sprinkle a handful of water, mix well and close the pan with a lid. Cook over low flame for 2 to 3 mins.
- Add curry leaves, fresh grated coconut and toss well. Switch off stove.
- Keep the pan closed for another 2 more mins for the flavours to merge well.
- Keerai thandu poriyal is ready.
- Serve as a side dish with any rice of your choice. You can also mix this with rice and eat it with a pappad.
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