KEERAI KUZHAMBU and SAMBAR

KEERAI KUZHAMBU:

Cook 3 cups of finely chopped keerai in ½ cup of milk with ½ sp cumin seeds and a green chilli. Mash the keerai finely. Soak a small lime-sized tamarind for 1 hour and then extract its juice. In a sp of ghee fry 3 red chillies, 1sp coriander seeds, 1sp Bengal gram,4sp shredded coconut , 1 small piece of asafoetida, 1sp black gram and ½ sp peppercorns to a golden brown color and then powder them finely. Heat a kadai and pour 4 tbsp gingelly oil. When the oil becomes hot add 1sp mustard seeds. When they splutter add ¼ cup of chopped onions and fry for a few seconds. Then add ½ cup of chopped tomatoes and 1sp turmeric powder. Cook well until the tomatoes are well mashed. Add the tamarind extract and the powder with enough salt. Let the kuzhambu simmer for some minutes. Then add the mashed keerai and allow it to simmer for only a few minutes.

KEERAI SAMBAR:

Soak a lime sized tamarind for 1/2 hour and then extract the juice out of it. Cook three handful of lentils in a pressure cooker. Pour enough oil in a vessel and heat it. Add 1sp mustards and when they splutter add 1 cup of chopped sambar onions, a small piece of asafoetida and 4 slit green chillies. When they become slightly brown, add 1 or 2 cups of chopped tomatoes and 1sp turmeric powder. Cook until the tomatoes are well mashed. Add the tamarind extract and allow it to simmer for some minutes. Then add the ooked dhal, finely chopped keerai with enough salt.Let the sambar simmer for a few minutes. Add 2tsp sambar podi and mix well. Turn the fire very low. Cook for a few minutes. Add curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves.the keerai should not change its green colour fully.
Sambar podi: Fry one handful of red chillies, 1tbsp Bengal gram, 2tbsp coriander seeds, 1sp fenugreek seeds, 8 peppercorn, 1/2 sp mustard seeds and 1 sp black gram for a few minutes to a light brown colour. When cooled, powder them.