A Simple Star: Spinach Kootu

We have long known, thanks to our wonderful moms, the value of eating spinach. A nutrient powerhouse, spinach is richin vitamins A and C, folate, iron, calcium and fiber. Like all greens, it is super-low in calories so it's very waist-friendly as well.

But the real reason I grew to love Spinach was its fabulous taste, ease of cooking, and versatility. It is easy to wilt spinach to tenderness in seconds, making it a hurried cook's best friend. What's better, it goes with almost anything. Spinach parathas, spinach rice, spinach dal...you name it, and there's a way to cook it with spinach for an easy health buzz!

I grab up fresh spinach when I can find it at the market, but I always have some frozen spinach on hand for those quick weeknight meals that need to be both tasty and healthy. My recipe for today is Spinach Kootu, one such favorite. A classic Tamil dish, Spinach Kootu takes just minutes to put together.

The Kootu goes great with rice, although I love nothing more than eating it with a hot chapati. I like it so much, in fact, that when I have it on hand, I snack on it straight out of the refrigerator. Yum.

Spinach Kootu

Ingredients:
1 16-oz package frozen chopped spinach, zapped in the microwave for a few minutes until tender (it took around 5 minutes in mine to thaw and cook it)

1 tsp canola oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp udad dal (black gram dal)

1 tomato, diced

Salt to taste

Grind together:

1 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds

2 dry red chillies

1/2 cup coconut milk or 1/4 cup fresh coconut shreds

In a saucepan, combine the ground masala and the spinach. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer five minutes.

Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the mustard seeds, and when they sputter, add the udad dal.

Fry the dal until lightly golden and then add the tomato. Cook for another minute until the tomato begins to break down.

Pour on the kootu. Add salt to taste and serve hot.