Red Spinach/Cheera Curry

Red Spinach or Cheera in malayalam is a very nutritious and tasty. Since it's not available most of the time in the city where I live, I always crave to eat dishes made of it. As soon as I reach my native place I ask my parents to buy it so that I can have it as much as I want.In hindi it's called Lal Bhaji and my husband also loves this leafy vegetable very much. But there's difference in the way his mother makes and I make it. Mainly because I being a keralite add coconut whereas my mother-in-law's recipe doesnt include coconut.

Here, I would like to share a gravy made in pure kerala style which goes well with hot rice. This recipe is very easy to make and will be ready in 10 minutes time.

What you need for this are :

Red Spinach(chopped) - 2 cups

Coconut grated - 1/2 cup

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 pinch

Turmeric powder/Haldi - 1/4 tsp

Red Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind - 1 small piece

Salt - as required

Water - 1/2 cup

Dried Red chillies - 2

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 bunch

First add water to the chopped spinach and cook it in a pan adding salt.

 Just 5 minutes of cooking is enough for spinach.Soak the tamarind and take out the pulp.

Grind coconut with jeera,turmeric and chilly powder into a fine paste.

Once the spinach is cooked properly,add the coconut paste and tamarind pulp to it and bring to boil.

Remove from fire.Now season mustard,red chillies and curry leaves in the oil and add to the spinach.

Serve hot with rice.