Vendhaya Keerai Parupu Kootu | Fenugreek leaves pulses mash | Methi leaves dal curry

Fenugreek leaf/Vendhaya keerai is the best body-coolant for hot summer. It is a medicinal herb that cures many ailments and suits all ages !

It is good for stomach ulcers. It generally heals wound and kills pain. Look down for more category-specific benefits.

Parents-to-be: This is one of the fertile greens – good for both moms-to-be and dads-to-be. Regulates irregular periods and cures infertility.

Pregnancy: It takes care of joint and body pains and also controls nausea. Rich in iron but doesn’t constipate.

GDM: This is highly recommended for diabetics as it controls blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Lactation: Increases breast milk. Cures wound faster. Takes care of menstrual pain and tiredness.

Babies and Kids: Good for deworming. For babies, start with greens water and other mild greens like spinach(palak), Amaranth(arai keerai) and then introduce fenugreek leaves around 10 months.

Fenugreek greens are so easy to grow at home(Click here to see how ?). The first pic of the Preparation thumbnail(below) shows my USA-grown vendhaya keerai. Just 2 buckets from Dollar tree, 1 soil pack from Walmart and few fenugreek seeds(Vendhayam) from my kitchen, supplied greens for the whole summer last year. Just sown seeds for this summer too ! Enjoy growing, wherever you are 🙂

Preparation

1.Leave the root and cut out the stems. From each stem, pluck the leaves. The upper tender ones can be put as such. 2. Discard the stems and wash the leaves twice or thrice until the washed water has no visible dirts/sand. Always use 2 vessels while washing greens, so that dirts settle down along with water. Change water for every wash.3.Chop the leaves.4.Wash moong dal(paasi parupu) twice or thrice.5.Add washed dal to pressure cooker along with chopped tomato, generous pinches of asafoetida(Perungaayam) and turmeric powder.6.Add a cup of water and cook for 3-4 whistles.7.Grind few pieces of coconut using 1/2 cup water and keep it ready.8.In hot oil, add mustard seeds. Once spluttered, add chopped small onions and fry till translucent.9.Add chopped fenugreek leaves and fry for a minute.10.Cook covered in low heat for 2-3 more mins. Open the lid and stir for every minute. Then add a tsp of sambar powder.11.Fry for 20-30 secs and then add cooked dal. Add half more cup of water and let it start boiling.12.Add ground coconut and required salt.13.Cook covered in medium heat for 7-10 mins. Stir intermittently.    Serve with hot rice/dosa/chapathi.

Tips/Tricks

• Split yellow moong dal(paasiparuppu) can be substituted with Toor dal(Tuvaram parupu).
• Pearl onions are preferred for this recipe. But, you shall substitute big onion too.
• Tempering with coconut oil, gives a nice flavor. You shall substitute with ordinary cooking oil too.
• You shall replace sambar powder with your gravy powder(Kuzhambu podi). Or just add 1/2tsp dhaniya powder + 1/2tsp plain chilli powder+1 pinch Jeera powder +1 pinch pepper powder.