Paruppu Keerai Masiyal is also known as Keerai Kadayal. It is a nutritious South Indian dish made primarily with Thoor Dhal (split pigeon peas) and spinach (keerai). This flavorful preparation is simple to make. It is also packed with health benefits. This makes it a perfect choice for both lunch and dinner when served with steamed rice.
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How to make masiyal
Keerai Kadayal is a traditional South Indian dish made by cooking and mashing spinach (keerai) with simple spices. The greens are boiled with green chilies and sometimes dal (lentils), then blended into a smooth or slightly coarse consistency. A tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, garlic, and curry leaves enhances the flavor. This dish is mildly spiced, nutritious, and rich in iron, making it a healthy accompaniment to rice with ghee. Keerai Kadayal is often paired with a side of spicy mashed dal (paruppu). It can also be enjoyed with a tangy kuzhambu for a wholesome and comforting meal.
For those looking to explore the nutritional benefits of spinach, you have options. Learn more about the different Keerai varieties and their health advantages. Additionally, if you’re interested in trying similar recipes, there are variations. Easy keerai masiyal and Pachai Payaru masiyal can be delicious additions to your meal plan.
Delicious Masiyal Variations
Easy Keerai Masiyal
Difficulty: EasyThis straightforward Keerai Masiyal recipe involves pressure cooking spinach along with green gram dal.
Pachai Payaru (Green Gram) Kadayal
Difficulty: EasyMasiyal also known as Kadaiyal is a nutritious and easy-to-make one-pot dish. Packed with healthy ingredients, it can be served with hot rice, Chapati/Roti, or even with toasted bread.
Recipe
Paruppu Keerai Masiyal
4
servings5
minutes15
minutes20
minutesThis Paruppu Keerai Masiyal can be prepared with any type of greens(keerai). This dish also goes by the name keerai kadayal.
Ingredients
Keerai (Greens) – 1 bunch
Green gram or Thoor dhal – ½ cup
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Jeera – 1 teaspoon
Red Chili – 1
Urad dhal – 1 teaspoon
Onion – 1 small
Tomato- 1
Sambar powder- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Asafoetida Powder – a pinch
Oil- 2 tsp
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Directions
- Take Thuvar (toor dhal) or green gram dhal and cook it until it is soft.
- Remove the roots of the keerai (greens) and wash it thoroughly.
- Chop the keerai into small pieces and place them into a heavy metal pan. Add jeera, finely chopped tomato, salt, sambar powder, and turmeric powder.
- Cook the keerai in a low flame, as it should be capable of cooking in its own water content.
- Then add the cooked dhal which should be mashed well.
- Heat a frying pan and pour some oil into it. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add red chilli, urad dhal, asafoetida powder, and the finely chopped onion. Fry it for a while and then add this mixture to the keerai.
- Mash everything together with a thick spoon and your Paruppu Keerai Masiyal is ready!
Hi,
I tried this recipe and came out very well. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Rekha,
Nice to hear that this masiyal came out well.
whay cant dhal and keeri be cooked together in pressure cooker!
Hi Anshul,
Cooking time varies for dhal and keerai. Dhal needs more time for cooking than keerai. Keerai needs just two to three minutes for cooking. If you put dhal and keerai together, keerai gets overcooked, loses its valuable vitamins and colour.
this is for all keerai or only for specific …. this is good i tried with siru keerai
This Masiyal you can prepare with any Keerai. But “Agathi Keerai” is very crisp and slightly bitter and will not blend with the dhal when you mash it.
Wow.. such an easy recipe.. came out really well.. thank u for sharing
Thank you.
madam, very nice recipe. do we need the keerai to be chopped before cooking.
Yes. If you chop the keerai, it will get cooked fast and easy to mash it.
Very nice
Wow! Such an easy recipe thanks for posting dis mam!
Thank you Priya for your kind words.
I cooked pulichcha keerai in cooker (for one whistle) and found slightly bitter. Overcooked??? How to prepare the masiyal with the above green?
Pulicha keerai is used for making chutney/thuvaiyal. I am not sure about making masiyal with this green.
Kamala ma’am your recipe for okra and keerai was good. Thank you
Thank you Rekha.
Wowww.. it is really delicious.. thanks for this awesome dish mam.. will the same method work out for murungai keerai?
You can follow the same method for murungai keerai too. However, it will not get mashed well like other greens, since murungai keerai is krisp.
Hi Kamala,
Could you use fresh garlic for this recipe? If so when do you add it?
P.S. I’m not keen on dried garlic flakes.
Yes. You can use fresh garlic too.
Hiii mam.. Pls tl me how to make jeera.. Either n sugar r jaggery????
Hi Ganga,
Do you mean Jeera, the sugar syrup. Please clarify so that I can reply properly.
The jeera which is mentioned here is seeragam in tamil
Yes. It is Seeragam.
Hi kamala,
Will it matter if we add greens in dal itself after dal is 3/4th cooked?
You can add Keerai in 3/4th cooked dal itself. Actually I add Greens after the dal is fully cooked and allow the greens to cook for only few minutes so that the Greens will not lose its colour.
Today I tried this recipe ,it was very delicious
Thank you Malarvizhi for your kind feed back.
This is a simple and yet delicious recipe. I make this very frequently at home. Thank you!
Kamala. Mam,
I tried this recipe and it was very nice…
Thank you!
It came out very well. Every one appreciated me … Especially my hubby … Thank you very much .
Thank you Anupriya for your kind feedback.
Kamala ma’am, excellent recipe, pl tell me whether to use only leaves of paruppu keerai or stem may also be used and my humble suggestion would be cooking greens open , becos toxins (chemicals used while growing or due to pollution) if any would evaporate n then tomatoes, jeera n rest of ingredients may be added
Thank you Narayani for your kind feed back. You can use the keerai with stems.
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I tried this and it was so delicious . I did add some fresh coconut milk on it and it was super yummy. Loves from Malaysia.
Excellent recipe. Taste was yummy.