Agathi Keerai Poriyal | Humming bird tree leaves stir fry

In our motherland there are so many varieties of greens. Different varieties of greens such as murungai keerai, ponnangani keerai, manathakkali keerai, agathi keerai are nature's gift for us because there are so many health benefits in each and every greens. Cooking greens properly is very important for digestion. Particularly, for agathi keerai poriyal, we have to cook the leaves well because the leaves are thick and  it takes more time to cook when compared to other greens.

Naturally, this keerai has a very good flavour too. It's slightly bitter and is combined with the coconut and cooked toor dal to prepare a delicious poriyal. The ground coconut paste is the final touch of many dishes in Tirunelveli cooking and in addition to it a tbsp of powdered jaggery and coconut oil is added to this poriyal to enhance the taste. Now we will see some important points to remember about this keerai.

1. After removing the leaves from the stalk  don't need to chop the leaves. Just toss them in the oil for a few minutes and then add water and cook until it turns soft.
2. This keerai poriyal or sambar is prepared on the next day for ekadasi fasting called as thuvadasi. This keerai reduces the body heat. 
3. You can also dry the leaves in shade for 2 days and store it in an airtight container. You can add these dried leaves in sambar.
4. Even though this keerai, has lots of medicinal values you should eat this keerai only once or twice in  a month.
5. If you are taking any siddha or auyurveda medicines, avoid this keerai because it will reduce the power of the medicines.

Checkout my other keerai recipes

• Siru keerai thuvaram
• Murungai keerai thuvaram
• Paruppu keerai kootu
• Manathakkali keerai kootu
• Red Ponnangani keerai thuvaram / poriyal
• Mudakathan keerai dosa
• Ponnangani keerai rice
• Keerai sambar
• Venthayakeerai Poriyal

Agathi Keerai Poriyal - Humming bird tree leaves stir fry Recipe

Prep time : 15 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes
Serves : 4
Category : side dish
Author : Muthulakshmi Madhavakrishnan

Ingredients

• 1 bunch agathi keerai
• 1/8 cup toor dal
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 3 small onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 dried red chilly
• 1 tbsp powdered jaggery
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp urid dal
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Remove the leaves from the stalk and wash the leaves 2 to 3 times in water.
2. Grind the grated coconut, red chilli, small onions, garlic cloves and cumins coarsely. Pressure cook the toor dal for 3 to 5 whistles and keep it ready.
3. Heat oil in kadai and add the mustard and urid dal. Allow them to crackle and add the agathi keerai leaves and saute it well. When the leaves has wilted, take a handful of water and splash it. Cook the leaves on medium heat. Check in between and again splash some more water and cook.When the leaves are completely done, add the cooked toor dal and turmeric powder. Mix them well.
4. Next, add the required salt and mix them well with the leaves. Now add our magic ingredient powdered jaggery and mix it well.
5. Add the ground coconut mixture and mix it well. The coconut paste must incorporate well with the leaves. Finally, add the coconut oil and stir it well with the leaves.

Agathi Keerai Poriyal - Humming bird tree leaves stir fry with step by step photos 

Remove the leaves from the stalk and wash the leaves 2 to 3 times in water. For agathi keerai removing leaves are very easy when compared with other greens

Grind the grated coconut, red chilli, small onions, garlic cloves and cumins corasely.

Heat oil in kadai and add the mustard and urid dal. Allow them to crackle and add the agathi keerai leaves and saute it well. You can hear a ushhh sound now.

 

When the leaves has wilted, take a handful of water and splash it. Cook the leaves on medium heat. Check in between and again splash some more water and cook.

When the leaves are completely done, add the cooked toor dal and turmeric powder. Mix them well.

 Next, add the required salt and mix them well with the leaves.

 Now add our magic ingredient powdered jaggery and mix it well.

Add the ground coconut mixture and mix it well. The coconut paste must incorporate well with the leaves. 

Finally, add the coconut oil and stir it well with the leaves.

 Turn off the heat and transfer the keerai to the serving dish. Serve it with sambar or pulikuzhambu.

Here is a short video for Agathi Keerai Poriyal