Keerai Paruppu Saadham (Amaranth Spinach Rice)
Authentic South Indian Food Creator · Home Chef
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Keerai Paruppu Saadham is a wholesome, nourishing one-pot rice dish deeply rooted in Tamil Nadu's everyday home cooking tradition. Made with fresh amaranth leaves (mulaikeerai), cooked toor dal, and fluffy rice tempered with aromatic South Indian spices, this dish is a beautiful representation of how Tamil cuisine transforms humble, affordable ingredients into something deeply satisfying and full of life-giving nutrition. It has graced Tamil kitchen tables for generations, passed down from grandmothers to daughters with love and simplicity.
Tamil families absolutely adore Keerai Saadham for its incredible ease and the way it brings together wholesome goodness in a single dish. Busy mothers pack it lovingly in school lunch boxes knowing children will finish every grain. On quiet weekday afternoons, it is the go-to comfort meal that requires no elaborate side dish — just a drizzle of ghee, a few crispy appalam, and a spoonful of tangy pickle. While not strictly a festival dish, it is commonly prepared during Karthigai Deepam and other auspicious days when simple vegetarian meals are preferred.
What makes this recipe truly special is how the earthy sweetness of fresh amaranth leaves blends beautifully with the creamy softness of cooked toor dal and well-seasoned rice. The tempering of mustard seeds, dried red chillies, and garlic in sesame oil gives it that signature Tamil aroma that fills the entire house. For best results, always use fresh, tender keerai leaves, cook the dal until very soft, and finish with a generous spoon of ghee before serving for that irresistible homemade flavour.
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Ingredients(19 items)
Instructions
💡 Tap a step to mark it doneRinse the toor dal thoroughly under running water two to three times. Add it to a pressure cooker with one and a half cups of water and a pinch of turmeric. Pressure cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles until the dal is completely soft and mushy. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the lid and mash the cooked dal well with a ladle. Set aside.
While the dal cooks, thoroughly wash the fresh amaranth (mulaikeerai) leaves and tender stems. Drain the water completely and chop them roughly. If the stems are very thick, discard them and use only the leaves and thin stems. Set the cleaned greens aside. Ensure the cooked rice is already cooled and the grains are separate to prevent clumping when mixed later.
Heat sesame oil in a wide kadai or heavy-bottomed pan over medium flame. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter fully. Next add the urad dal and chana dal and fry for about 30 seconds until they turn light golden. Add the dried red chillies and curry leaves and let them crackle for a few seconds.
Add the crushed garlic cloves to the pan and sauté on medium flame for one minute until the raw smell of garlic disappears and it turns slightly golden. Now add the slit green chillies and finely chopped onions. Sauté the onions with a little salt for 4 to 5 minutes on medium heat until they become soft, translucent, and just beginning to turn golden at the edges.
Add the finely chopped tomatoes to the pan along with turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Mix everything well and cook on medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes turn completely soft and the oil begins to separate from the masala. The mixture should look slightly thick and well combined at this stage.
Add the chopped amaranth greens (keerai) to the pan and mix well with the onion tomato masala. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cook the greens on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they wilt completely and cook down. The greens will reduce significantly in volume. Do not overcook them to preserve their vibrant green colour and nutrients.
Add the mashed cooked toor dal to the wilted keerai mixture in the pan. Mix everything together thoroughly and cook for 2 minutes on low flame so that the dal and keerai blend beautifully. Taste at this stage and adjust salt and spice levels according to your preference. The mixture should look creamy and well combined.
Add the cooled cooked rice to the keerai dal mixture in the pan. Gently fold and mix everything together using a flat ladle or spatula, taking care not to break or mash the rice grains. Mix until the rice is evenly coated with the green keerai dal mixture and every grain is well seasoned. Check the salt one final time and adjust if needed.
Drizzle one tablespoon of ghee over the Keerai Paruppu Saadham and gently fold it in. The ghee adds a beautiful rich aroma and enhances the overall flavour significantly. Turn off the flame and cover the pan for two minutes to allow all the flavours to meld together beautifully. Serve hot with crispy appalam, a side of pickle, or cool raita.
Tips and Tricks
- Always use fresh, tender mulaikeerai or amaranth greens for the best flavour and colour. Avoid using wilted or yellowing leaves as they will make the rice bitter and dull in appearance.
- Cook the toor dal until it is very soft and completely mashed before adding it to the rice. Properly mashed dal blends evenly with the keerai and coats every grain of rice, giving the dish its signature creamy texture.
- Do not skip the sesame oil for the tempering as it is essential to authentic Tamil keerai dishes. The nuttiness of sesame oil pairs perfectly with the earthy flavour of amaranth greens and gives the dish its classic South Indian character.
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