Murungai Keerai Kootu
Wholesome south Indian style yellow lentils and moringa leaves curry
Servings: 6
Calories: 162kcal
Equipment
- 1 Colander
- 1 Instant Pot 6 quart
- 1 high speed blender
- 1 set measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Yellow moong lentils (split and whole yellow lentils work equally well here)
- 2 cups hot water
Spice paste
- 3/4 cup fresh coconut frozen or fresh grated coconut work great.
- 4 green chilis Add more or less according to desired spice levels
- 1.5 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/3 cup water
For the kootu
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp white Urad dal
- 2 dry red chilis
- 2.5 cups roughly chopped moringa leaves (measured after picking and sorting)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp Salt or add to taste
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Place the lentils in a bowl. Rinse in water twice or thrice until water runs clear. Drain all the water used for washing.
- In a bowl, combine the washed lentils with 1.5 cups hot water and let it soak for 20 mins. Soaking the lentils ensures quick and even cooking. This step is optional but highly recommended.
Pick and sort the moringa leaves
- While the lentils soak, pick and clean the moringa leaves. I tend to leave any tender stems intact but if you are particular, you can just pick the leaves out.
- Place them in a colander and wash them thoroughly. Let the water drain for a couple minutes. When done, chop the leaves roughly and set aside.
Making fresh coconut spice paste
- To a blender, add fresh coconut, cumin seeds, green chilis and water. Grind this to a smooth paste. Set aside.
Instant Pot Moringa Leaves Kootu
- Place the inner pot into your Instant Pot. Plug in and press Saute and set the timer for 10 mins. When the display reads HOT, add coconut oil and allow it to heat up for 1 min.
- Once the oil has heated up, add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Immediately, tip in the white Urad dal along with the dried red chilies. Wait for the Urad dal to begin to brown.
- At this stage, add the chopped moringa leaves and saute them for 2 to 3 mins until they reduce half in volume.
- Next, drain the soaked dal in a colander. Add the dal plus 1 cup water, salt and turmeric powder to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine and deglaze the pot.
- Now, stir in the ground spice paste. Mix well. Press CANCEL. Close the Instant Pot, turn the valve to SEALING.
Instant Pot Kootu timings
- Press PRESSURE COOK (MANUAL in older Instant Pots) and choose HIGH PRESSURE. Set the timer to 10 minutes. Wait for the cooking cycle to complete.
- Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow pressure to release naturally. As soon as pressure releases, open and mix the Kootu up.
Notes
Soaking the moong dal here ensures quick and even cooking. Since we add salt before the dal is cooked, I highly recommend soaking the lentils.
The water measurements mentioned here are crucial to getting this recipe right. More water means a runny Kootu.
To fix runny or watery Kootu, make a lump free slurry with 1.5 tsp rice flour and 1/4 cup water. Add this to the kootu, stir well and simmer for 2 to 3 mins on medium flame.
For Instant Pot & Air Fryer Recipes
Instant Pot timings may vary based on your geographic location. Air fryer settings and timings may vary based on the capacity and the model of the Air fryer.
Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
Calories: 162kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 691mg | Potassium: 315mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 51IU | Vitamin C: 221mg | Calcium: 447mg | Iron: 2mg
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