Amaranth leaves curry (Thotakoora pullakura )

This is another variation of cooking greens. Instead of doing stir fry, we do cook the leaves along with tomato, onion, chili and tamarind. It will be tangy in taste and stays in between a curry and a side dish, means you can serve this either as the main dish or as a side dish along with any daal variety dishes. Adding peanuts will give you the crunchiness.

Ingredients:

Amaranthus leaves – 4 cups  or 2 small bunches
Tomato – 1 chopped into big chunks
Onion – 1 chopped into big chunks
Tamarind – ½ of the lemon size
Rock Salt
Soaked Ground nuts or fresh ground nuts – 2 tbsp
Oil

For thadka (Tampering):
Mustard seeds, Garlic flakes, curry leaves and Red chilli

Method:

 Boil the ground nuts with little water until they are semi soft (half boiled) using a pinch of salt. Drain and keep aside. Do not discard the water as we are going to use this to boil amaranthus leaves.

 Add 1 spoon oil to hot pan and fry onion and tomato together with a pinch of salt for a minute.

 Add washed amaranth leaves, tamarind, half boiled pea nuts, the left over water from boiling pea nuts (about 100 ml) and salt. Stir and close the lid for about 4 -5 minutes.

Stir occsionally and cook the contents until the amaranth leaves are soft. Do not over cook.

Remove from the fire and while it is still hot add rock salt and mash every thing using wooden pastel and keep it aside.

 For tampering, heat oil in a pan and add Mustard seeds, garlic cloves fry for a minute and then add curry leaves.

 Finally add the tampering to the curry / pullakoora

Amaranth leaves curry / Thotakoora vepudu

Amaranth leaves, also called as chinese spinach. There are lots of varieties that can be prepared using these greeny leaves. One among them is a stir fry with a touch of spicy peanut powder.

Ingredients:
2  large bunches of fresh amaranth leaves - picked and chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
Garlic cloves, crushed - 3- 4
Tturmeric pwd - 1 pinch
Roasted peanuts - 2 tbsp
Chili powder - 1 tsp
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil

For popu/tadka/seasoning:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp split gram dal
1 dry red chillis de-seeded
1 spring curry leaves

Method:

Heat oil, add the mustard seeds and once they splutter, add the cumin seeds, split gram dal, red chillis, curry leaves and saute for half a minute. 

Add the onions and saute till the onions turn transparent. Add salt and turmeric pwd and saute further for a minute.

Add the washed and chopped amaranth leaves and saute for a minute. Cover the pan with lid and cook for about 15 mts or till done.

In the mean time, grind the roasted peanuts, 1 garlic clove, salt and chili into coarse powder. 

Finally add the roasted peanut powder and mix every thing. Turn off  the heat and serve with hot rice.