White radish and Spinach Kootu

 

White radish and spinach kootu is the signature creation by my cook, which I have now mastered, though I would still love her to do the dish for me when she can. There is this ease with which she does this dish, and once done it needs to be instantly eaten with chapatis. My son in spite of the bitterness that exists in spinach has now gotten himself eating this too!

Ingredients:

Spinach - 2 bunches finely chopped

White radish - 3 finely chopped

Onion - 1 medium finely chopped

Green chillies - 2 finely chopped

Garlic - 3-4 finely chopped

Mustard - 1tsp

Curry leaves

Coconut gratings - 4-5 tbs

Salt to taste

Heat a wok and lightly coat with oil. Splutter the mustard seeds and add curry leaves. Add the onion and garlic and saute till it turns colour. Take care not to brown the onion, as the dish requires the sweetness of onion to slightly camouflage the bitterness of the spinach. Add the chopped spinach and radish and saute for about 3-4mins. Add a dash of water, cover and cook till the water is evaporated and the dish is almost done. Add the chopped chillies, coconut gratings and salt to taste, give it a good mix and the kootu is ready to be served. It goes well with rice and rotis.

Tip: When I make this dish I do away with the coconut gratings, so that I can avoid unnecessary addition of cholesterol that comes from coconut. But if the bitterness from the spinach is too empowering, adding the coconut gratings would neutralize the flavours, making it easier for consumption.