Vendiya Keerai Kootu, Methi ( Fenugreek Leaves ) With Tuvar Dal

          Vendiya Keerai, Methi or Fenugreek Leaves, whenever I see a nice fresh bunch, I always buy it. Even if I don't use it the same day, I clean, chop and freeze it and add it later to sambar or curries. Only recently I have started making this kootu and now this has become my favorite dish with these leaves. It's a very simple and healthy dish, tastes great when mixed with rice or even with some rotis..

Need To Have

• Cleaned And Chopped Fenugreek Leaves - 2 cups
• Tuvar Dal, Split Pigeon Peas - 1/3 cup
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Jaggery - 1 teaspoon
• Urad Dal/ Husked Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

To Grind

• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Cumin Seeds, Jeera - 1 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut - 11/2 tablespoon

Method

          Grind together all the ingredients given under ' to grind ' without adding any water. Pressure cook the tuvar dal with the turmeric, mash and keep. Cook the chopped greens with a little water and salt.

          Once the keerai is cooked, add the cooked dal and the ground mixture. Mix it and cook for a minute.

          Then add the jaggery and some water and cook for another minute or two and switch off. Heat some oil, add the urad dal and mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the asafoetida and  mix till till the urad dal turns golden and add it to the cooked dal and greens.

Note
If you like, you can add a small marble size tamarind along with ingredients given under ' to grind ' and make a paste and add to the cooked greens, or otherwise, 1 chopped tomato, cooked along with the dal.
Also for more flavor, you can use ghee instead of oil for seasoning.