Murungai Keerai Kootu | Drumstick Leaves Dal in Instant Pot

Murungai Keerai Kootu is a delicious, comfort dish that is perfect for a filling lunch. This wholesome, mildly spiced and healthy dal is made with Murungai Keerai/Drumstick Leaves, Dal, Shallots and Tomatoes. Pair it with hot, steamed rice for a satisfying South Indian meal.

It’s been a long time since I uploaded an Instant Pot recipe on the blog. I have already shared an Instant Pot Kootu recipe and also a simple dal tadka recipe. This Murunga Keerai Kootu is another variation that is prepared in South India. If you are a fan of quick one pot meals, kootu with rice is your best bet.

Kootu, dal recipes are regular in my kitchen. These quick one-pot dishes come in handy on busy weekdays. The addition of spinach makes it all the more healthy and nutritious.

Kootu is a vegetable and lentil-based South Indian dish. Kootu can be made with many vegetables. Chayote, Drumstick, Carrot, Cabbage, Cucumber, Zucchini, and Pumpkin are a few vegetables that can be used. Spinach is another popular leafy vegetable that is used in Kootu recipes. There are many who do not enjoy eating spinach in any other form but love eating a good Kootu. I personally feel it is a great way to incorporate greens into our diet. Kootu can be served as a side dish or can be used as a main dish along with hot rice and ghee. Tastes too good!

About Murunga Keerai

Murunga Keerai / Drumstick Leaves is rich in nutrients and antioxidants. Though it’s a boring and tiresome job to separate and clean the leaves of this variety, the taste and nutrients of Murunga Keerai beat it.
This week when I found a bunch of fresh Murunga Keerai leaves in the shop, I decided am going to buy 2 bunches and make a few recipes. I made a mildly spiced powder, a simple poriyal and this kootu using those leaves. The entire family loved and relished every one of these dishes. You can also make a good soup those Murungai Keerai. It is so healthy and tastes excellent as well.

Why I love this Murunga Keerai Kootu

Healthy and Filled with Nutrients

An entire meal gets done in less than 30 minutes.

Made with minimal spices. Makes it very easy for beginners to prepare.

Can be paired with rice, rotis and makes a quick, filling meal.

You can play along with other ingredients and customize them to your taste.

Can be paired with hot rice for lunch or can be had with rotis for dinner/lunchbox.

How to make Murunga Keerai Kootu

Wash and soak chana dal, toor dal, moong dal in warm water for 15 minutes.

Chop garlic, shallots, tomatoes, curry leaves and keep it ready.

Press saute mode on Instant Pot. Add oil. Once it’s hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them crackle. Add red chillies, asafoetida, garlic, shallots (Indian small Onion), curry leaves.

Saute well for a few minutes. Then add 1 chopped tomato. Cook for a minute.

Now, add turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder, and pepper powder. Remove the soaked water and add the dal.

Add fresh water to cook the dal. Pressure cook for 10 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Open the Instant Pot after the pin drops. Select Saute mode. Add cleaned and washed murunga keerai leaves. Cook for 5 minutes until spinach is done. Adjust consistency by adding little warm water. Taste and add salt if needed. Finally, add some grated coconut, and ghee on top.

Mix well. Cancel saute mode. Let the dal stay warm.

Serving Suggestions

This Murunga Keerai Kootu can be paired with plain, steamed rice and papad.

It can also be served as a side dish in a full-fledged South Indian Meal. Sambar or Rasam can be the main dish and this kootu can be a side dish.

If you want to avoid serving it with rice, you can also pair it up with hot Rotis.

What if you can’t source Murungai Keerai

The beauty of this recipe is, that any spinach or green leafy vegetable can be used in place of Murungai Keerai. It can’t be called a murungai keerai kootu but it would still taste excellent.

Follow the same recipe, replace murungai keerai with any spinach of your choice and make this delicious kootu.

Tips

Instead of shallots, use finely chopped regular onion. If you want to make a no onion, no garlic version, simply omit both.

I have used a mix of toor dal, chana dal and moong dal in this kootu. You can use any single dal or a mix of dals of your choice. Masoor Dal can also be used in this recipe.

Adding grated coconut, in the end, is optional. But the taste and flavour of coconut add a nice touch to the kootu.

What if you don’t own an Instant Pot

Murungai Keerai Kootu can be made on a regular stovetop. To make this Kootu without an Instant Pot, first, you need to cook the dal separately.

Wash and soak the dal in warm water for 15 minutes. Drain the soaked water, add fresh water and cook the dal in a stovetop Pressure Cooker till done. Keep it aside.

In a pan, add oil. Once it’s hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them crackle. Add red chillies, asafoetida, garlic, shallots (Indian small Onion), and curry leaves.

Saute well for a few minutes. Add 1 chopped tomato. Cook for a minute.

Now, add turmeric powder, salt, red chilli powder, and pepper powder.

Add the drumstick leaves. Cook for 5 minutes until it’s done.

Add the cooked dal. Adjust consistency by adding water. Taste and add salt if needed.

Finally, add some grated coconut and ghee on top. Mix well. Switch off.

Other Recipes you may like

Instant Pot Mixed Vegetable Kootu

Zucchini Chana Dal

Instant Pot Mixed Lentils Tadka

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