Ponnanganni Keerai Poriyal is a nutritious South Indian dish made with fresh Ponnanganni leaves and green gram dhal.
Start by plucking and washing the leaves, then chop them finely. Cook the green gram dhal with a pinch of turmeric until it’s mostly done but still firm. In a heated kadai, add oil and mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop. Then fry urad dhal and asafoetida until the dhal turns light brown. Add broken red chilies and fry briefly before stirring in the chopped greens. Cover and cook on low heat briefly, then uncover, stir, and add salt, cooking until the greens are dry. Finally, mix in the cooked dhal. Add the coconut gratings. Cook on low heat for a few more seconds before serving. Enjoy Ponnanganni Keerai Poriyal as a side for rice.
This Poriyal can be prepared with any available Keerai. Still, Ponnanganni Keerai has a crispy texture and is perfect for poriyal. It also improves eyesight, complexion, and reduces flabbiness. It is good for piles complaints too.
Ponnanganni Keerai Poriyal
4
servings5
minutes10
minutesA spinach recipe made with Ponnanganni Keerai
Ingredients
Ponnanganni Keerai – 1 bunch
Green Gram Dhal – 2 tablespoons
Turmeric Powder – a pinch
Coconut Gratings – 1 or 2 tablespoons
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Mustard – 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dhal – 1 teaspoon
Red Chillies – 2 to 3
Asafotida powder – a pinch
Salt – 1/2 teaspoon or as per taste
Directions
- Pluck the leaves from the stem and wash it well. Chop finely and keep aside.
- Cook green gram dhal with a pinch of turmeric till it is soft (3/4th cooking) and firm.
- In a kadai put the oil and when it is hot add mustard.
- When it pops up, add urad dhal, asafoetida powder and fry till the dhal turn light brown.
- Break the red chillies into small pieces and add and fry for a second.
- Then add the chopped greens and stir well.
- Close with a lid and cook on low flame for few seconds. (No need to add water).
- Open the lid and stir it well. Add salt and again cook it for few more seconds or the keerai is dry without any water content.
- Add cooked dhal and coconut gratings.
- Mix well and keep it on low flame for few seconds and remove.
A very good recipe. My mother uses the stem of the plant also. She cuts them into very small pieces. Without turdal, she prepares it with ground cocoanut masaala. Medicinal qualities of this greens are proven in day to day practice. Thank you for preserving our tradition.
Hi Xavier,
Thank you for sharing your mother’s method of preparation.
it is really delicious.
Thank you Henakatha Krishnan.
I happened to stumble upon your blog while browsing for ponnaganni keerai recipes. I tried this poriyal. It is delectable& yummy !
Welcome to my site. Thank you for your kind feed back.
My wife tried this recipe. very tasty. thanks to kamala madam.
Thank you Mr Ramachandran for your kind feed back.
Dear Kamala Madam,
Thank you for the collective keerai recipes.
Can I use the stem as well ? Expecially for Ponnankanni Keerai, removing stems seems to be very very tedious.
Hi Deepa,
If the stem is very tender, you can use it. If you use hard stem, it may affect the taste and texture of the Keerai.
Hi
I tried this today and it was totally yummy 🙂 Thanks! for sharing the recipe.
Best Regards
Thank you for your kind feed back.
Tried ponnaganni keerai recipe. Very tasty. Thank you
Thank you for your kind feed back.