Keerai Molagootal is a classic Palakkad spinach lentil dish made with leafy greens, tur dal and a coconut masala paste.
This Keerai Molagootal is a staple of Palakkad Iyer cuisine—a gentle, home-style lentil and spinach curry that embodies the culinary cross-section of Kerala and Tamil Brahmin traditions. This dish is made with creamy tur dal, tender blanched spinach (or keerai), and a freshly ground masala built on sweet coconut and warming spices.
As a signature recipe from the Palakkad district of Kerala, it offers a subtle, no-onion, no-garlic (sattvic) flavour profile.
For an authentic experience, Keerai Molagootal is typically paired with a sharp, tangy accompaniment like Puli Inji or Puli Kaachal
I make this dish regularly on Sundays when I have the time to process the spinach and grind the masala.
A Note on the Name: The term Molagu in Malayalam means pepper. Historically, pepper was the primary heat source for this dish. Over time, as red chillies became common across the subcontinent, they gradually replaced pepper, defining the dish we know today.
Ingredients for Keerai molagootal
Spinach is the main flavour of this dish. You can use normal Palak or any local keerai. I use Dantu soppu or green amaranthus leaves also along with spinach.
Tur dal – for a family of 3, you will need 1/2 a cup of uncooked tur dal that will become almost 1 cup of cooked dal.
For the masala – you need grated coconut, red chillies, pepper, jeera and split urad dal. The urad dal helps in thickening the lentil curry, while the rest of the ingredients form the base flavour for the dish.
For the porichu kottal (tadka)- coconut oil, mustard seeds and dried red chillies. (I usually don’t temper red chillies since I’ve not seen my mum do it, but there are many who temper them along with the mustard seeds)
How to make Palakkad-style keerai molagootal?
I have to say that keerai molagootal does take a little of your time to prepare, which is why I usually reserve it for Sundays when there isn’t a rush.
Soak tur dal for 30 minutes, wash the dal and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. The dal should have a mushy texture so that it blends well in the dish.
While the dal is cooking, you can wash the spinach or any leafy greens of your choice thoroughly three times until the water runs clear. Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the washed leaves to the water and blanch them. Remove the greens once you see they’ve changed to a darker shade and they go limp in the water. Add the blanched leaves to a pot of cold water or even an ice bath to stop the cooking process/
Once the greens are cool, grind to a smooth paste.
To make the base masala – place a pan on medium heat, add urad dal, red chillies, pepper and jeera. Once the urad dal is brown, turn off the heat and let it cool down. To this pan, add the grated coconut and let the coconut roast in the residual heat.
Grind these ingredients in the small mixer jar into a smooth paste.
Making the molagootal
Place a pot or a deep vessel on a low-medium flame. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil and to that add mustard seeds, asafoetida and split urad dal. You can also add round red chillies. Once the mustard seeds stop sputtering, add the coconut paste along with some water. Let this simmer on a low flame for 4- 5 minutes.
Next, add the cooked and mashed tur dal and the spinach puree. Add 1/2-3/4 tsp salt and mix well.
Turn off the heat once you bring the molagootal to a gentle simmer.
Serving suggestions
You can serve Keerai Molagootal with Puli Inji, Nelikka Arachukalakki and Kerala Pappadam to amke a classic palakkad style meal.
Shelf Life and Storage
Keerai molagootal will stay on the shelf for a day, but its best to put it in the fridge right away after cooling if you are going to eat it later. As it contains coconut, it might spoil if left out for a long time.
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Recipe
Keerai Molagootal
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch Spinach / Green Amaranthus leaves
- ½ cup Tur Dal
- 1 tsp Coconut Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard seeds
- ½ tsp Split Urad dal
For the Masala
- 1 tbsp Split Urad dal
- 1 tsp Jeera
- 3-4 Red Chillies
- 4-5 Pepper corns
- ½ cup Grated Coconut
Instructions
Cooking the spinach
- Pluck the leaves of the spinach. Wash them thoroughly in water until the water runs clear.
- Place a pot of water on the stove and bring it to a rolling boil. Add the washed spinach to the water and allow it to blanch. You know the spinach is ready when the colour of the spinach darkens and the leaves wilt.
- Remove the leaves with tongs or a slotted spoon and put it in an ice bath or a bowl of cold water immediately. Let it cool.
- Once the spinach is cool, grind to a smooth paste.
Cooking the dal
- Soak Tur dal for 20 minutes (or even over night), wash and place in the pressure cooker with 2 inches of water above the dal.
- Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. The texture of the dal should be soft and mushy. This will help in blending it well with the dal.
- Once the pressure cooker has cooled, remove from the cooker and give the tur dal a mash and bring it to a mushy texture.
Making the masala
- Place a pan on medium heat. Add red chillies, pepper, jeera, split urad dal and red chillies and toast them until the dal turns brown. This should take 5 minutes.
- Turn off the pan and add the grated coconut. Let it roast in the residual heat.
- Add these ingredients to the mixer jar and grind to a smooth paste with some water.
Making the Keera Molagootal
- Place a large pot or a deep vessel on medium heat. Add a teaspoon on coconut oil and to that add mustard seeds and split urad dal.
- Once the mustard seeds stop sputtering, add the coconut masala along with some water. Let this simmer for a few minutes – 4-5 minutes; until the raw smell of the masala goes away.
- Add the cooked dal and the pureed spinach to this along with ½ tsp of salt and mix well. Do a taste test and ensure the salt levels are ok.
- Let the Molagootal come to a slow boil. Turn off the heat.
- Serve Keerai Molagootal with Puli Inji and Pappadam.
