Video recipe for Cheera Parippu Curry or spinach green gram curry
Traditional recipe from south India, it is a staple eaten with rice or flatbread
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves : 4
Ingredients
150 gm red spinach
100 gm split green gram
¼ cup grated coconut
¾ teaspoon jeera or cumin seeds
½ teaspoon of red chilli powder
1 clove of garlic
4 dried red chillies
4 tbsp of coconut oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 shallots
Salt to taste
Water
Method
Step: 1
Take green gram in a bowl and rinse well with water.
Step: 2
Cook the cleaned green gram in a pressure cooker with 1 ½ cups of water. After one or two whistles turn off the gas. Let the pressure release naturally - green gram should be cooked well.
Step: 3
Clean the red spinach a few times under running water. Chop the spinach and keep it aside.
Step: 4
In a blender grind the grated coconut, cumin, 2 dried red chillies, red chilli powder, and garlic, along with 50 ml of water into a fine paste.
Step: 5
Heat coconut oil in a manchatti or earthen pot. Add the spinach. Add salt to taste. Cover and cook for about five minutes over a medium flame. Stir occasionally.
Step: 6
Next, add the ground masala paste and ¾ cup of warm water into it, mix well.
Step: 7
Then add the cooked green gram. Mix well. The curry should not be too thick or too watery, so add more water if required - add only warm water. Check seasoning and add more salt if needed. Cook this for about 3 minutes over a low flame. Then turn off the gas.
Step: 8
Finally, for tempering, heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds in it. Add the chopped shallots, 2 dried red chillies, and a few curry leaves. Sauté till the shallots become brownish and then add them to the curry.
It is now ready to be served hot with rice or flatbreads.
Note:
For tempering instead of coconut oil, ghee or clarified butter can also be used.
Recipe courtesy: Sobha Varghese is a homemaker based in Mumbai, India. Sobha runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes.
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