Kadanja keerai / Keerai masiyal / Mashed spinach in Indian style. This is one of my favorite versions of spinach which I used to enjoy growing up. My amma used to make this type of spinach almost on every other day along with fish curry. She used to buy arai keerai for preparing this dish. But I have used flat leaf spinach we usually get from any American grocery store. (Malabar spinach or Indian spinach is not suitable for this recipe)
Ingredients:
Arai keerai / US Spinach - 1 bunch
Shallot - 1
Green chili - 2
Garlic - 2 cloves
Water - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Method:
Remove big stems off the spinach if any.
If using arai keerai, then use leaves and tender stems only. Discard the peelable matured stems.
Rinse the spinach well (see video). Remove water completely.
Heat 1/4 cup water in a cooking vessel.
Add peeled shallot, garlic, green chili. Boil for 5 mins.
Add spinach to the boiling ingredients. Cook uncovered for 5 mins. Stir after 3 mins and cook completely.
Switch off. Add salt, cumin.
Mash to a coarse semi thick gravy. In the video I have shown 'how to use kitchenaid blender' to mash spinach. We can use a 'kal chatty' an earthern vessel studded with coarse stones to mash this too (that is the authentic way).
Mashed spinach is ready !
Serving Suggestion:
Serve as side dish or as curry over rice.
Makes a healthy food for kids and adults.
1 lb spinach may be good enough for a 4 member family.
1/2 lb (1/4 kg) spinach / keerai would be more than enough for 2 adults.
