Keerai (spinach) rice

Spinach is a very healthy leafy vegetable full of iron and it is my favourite vegetable.I make lot of items in spinach like vadas, kootu, I even put it in adai batter. Now I am going to take you to have a look at a rice dish I am making with keerai.I am sure everybody will like it.My daughter is not a good spinach eater, but if I make something like this for a change she likes to have it.

Ingredients:

Rice -1 cup

Big onions - 2

Finely cut keerai -3 cups

It could either be palak or any variety of spinach.

Green chillies - 2

Roasted peanuts -1 tblsp

Lemon -1 big (optional)

Oil - 3 Tblsps

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds -1/4 tsp.

Cumin seeds(jeera)1/2 tsp

Black gram dhal (urad dal)1 tsp

Bengal gram dhal (chana dal) 1 tsp

Cashew nuts (optional) 10

For masala powder:

Coriander seeds 1 1/2 tsp

Black gram dhal 1 tsp

Fenugreek (methi seeds) 1/4 tsp

Bengal gram dhal 1 tsp

Red chillies whole -5-6

Asafoetida powder (hing) - a pinch

(Fry the above spices in half a tsp of oil and powder them)

Method:

Cook rice till each grain is separate.Allow it to cool completely. Cut onions into small pieces.Clean the spinach and chop them finely.Heat oil.Fry seasonings and then the cut green chillies.

Add onions and fry for 2 minutes.Continue frying with the spinach till it shrinks litte and the raw flavour goes fro it. Add cooled rice salt, powdered spices, peanut powder and mix well in high fkame, till everything is mixed well.If you want you can add grated fresh coconut, squeeze lemon,mix well and serve with curd raitha.