Keerai Molagootal is a classic Palakkad side dish made with spinach, toor dal, and a lightly spiced coconut paste. It’s one of the most loved Palakkad Iyer recipes, often cooked as part of everyday meals.
At home, this spinach molagootal served with puli inji or vendakkai pachadi is on our weekly rotation. It's comforting, and a great way to enjoy greens without much effort. We don’t call it a Keerai Kootu or Keerai Masiyal, since it’s made a little differently.
My mum always cooked the dal and spinach in the pressure cooker, and I do the same—or use the Instant Pot. While it cooks, I make the coconut paste and stir it into the spinach-dal mixture. It becomes a simple, rustic molagootal —a classic South Indian spinach and coconut dal.
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This naturally vegan, gluten-free dish pairs beautifully with hot white rice and a drizzle of ghee.
💛What Makes Palakkad Cuisine Unique?
Palakkad cuisine originates from the Palakkad region, reflecting the cultural and culinary overlap between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is especially well known among Palakkad Iyer and Brahmin households, where dishes like molagootal, kootu, sambar and tomato rasam form the heart of everyday meals.
The cooking style is balanced, with mild flavors, the use of coconut, and wholesome lentils forming the base of many recipes.
Unlike North Indian recipes, Palakkad cuisine hardly uses any powdered spices mixes.
📋Ingredients & Substitutes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Spinach (Keerai): I use fresh spinach leaves in bags from UK supermarkets. You can also swap with arai keerai, molakeerai, malabar spinach, or even frozen spinach if that’s easier.
- Toor dal (split pigeon peas): The classic choice for molagootal. You can easily replace it with moong dal or masoor dal for a lighter version.
- Grated coconut: Both Fresh or frozen coconut work. Do not use desiccated coconut - molagootal won't taste the same.
- Turmeric Powder: the only powdered spice we use in this dal.
- Urad dal (Ultham Parup): Used in the coconut paste and tempering. It brings a nutty aroma when roasted.
- Dried Red chilies: Adjust the quantity depending on your spice preference.
- Cumin seeds(jeera): I've only ever used cumin for molagootal.
- Coconut oil: It's essential for both the spice paste and tempering—don’t skip this. But if you don't have coconut oil, sunflower oil works just as well.
- Tempering spices: Mustard seeds, Urad dal, dried red chili, and a pinch of asafoetida (hing) if you like for extra flavor.
👩🏻🍳Sandhya’s Top Tips
- If you want a vibrant green color, cook spinach separately for a few minutes (like we do for palak paneer) and then add it to the cooked dal.
- I love a one-pot version where spinach and dal cook together—it saves juggling between many pans and is still delicious.
- Always use coconut oil for sautéing the coconut paste ingredients and for the final tempering—the flavors are totally next level.
- Don't be tempted to add a lot of water to cook dal - it will leave you with a layer of liquid over the molagootal.
- The type of red chilli will also affect the color. This is good to know incase you love a vibrant green spinach molagootal.
🔪How to Make Keerai Molagootal
Step 1. Cook dal and spinach together for 3–4 whistles in pressure cooker until soft and mushy. If using an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. NPR.
Step 2. Prepare the coconut paste
In a small pan, heat coconut oil. Roast urad dal, dried red chilies, cumin (or pepper), and grated coconut until golden and fragrant. Let it cool slightly, then add them to a mixi jar and grind into a smooth paste with water.
👩🏻🍳Pro Tip- add water only after coarsely blending together. I've added about 4 tablespoons of water.
Step 3. Combine everything
Add the ground coconut paste and salt to the cooked spinach and dal mixture. Cook for 5 minutes so the flavors meld together.
👩🏻🍳Pro Tip- you will see them gently boiling.
Step 4. Prepare the tempering with the tempering ingredients and
pour over the molagootal.
🍽 What to Serve with Spinach Molagootal
We enjoy Keerai Molagootal with steaming hot rice and a drizzle of ghee and a variety of traditional Kerala side dishes to make the meal feel complete. We also serve some of these sides in the Onam Sadhya!
- Vendakkai Thayir Pachadi (Okra Pachadi)
- Puli Inji
- Thenga Podi (spiced coconut powder)
- Lemon Pickle, Kerala Mango Pickle or Mango Thokku.
- Air fryer Kerala Banana Chips
- Carrot Kosumalli or Simple Kachumber Salad
❓Recipe FAQ's
Absolutely! Moong dal or masoor dal can be used, and they will taste lighter. But for the classic Palakkad molagootal flavor, toor dal is the best choice.
Yes! Just add frozen spinach cubes directly to the pressure cooker with dal—it cooks beautifully and tastes just as good as fresh.
Not overly—it’s gently spiced. If you prefer more heat, add an extra red chili when roasting for the coconut paste.
Ingredients
- 8 cups spinach, washed and chopped 240 g
- ½ cup toor dal split pigeon peas about 100g
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
To grind
- ½ cup grated coconut
- 1 ½ tablespoon urad dal
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1-3 dried red chillies
- 3-4 tablespoon water
For tempering
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chillies
Instructions
Stove Top Pressure Cooker Method
- Wash dal 3–4 times. Soak for 15 minutes in hot water. Add dal, spinach, turmeric, salt, and water to a pressure cooker. Cook for 4 whistles until dal is soft.
- Fry urad dal and red chillies in coconut oil until golden. Grind with coconut, cumin, and water to a smooth paste.
- Mix coconut paste into cooked dal-spinach. Simmer 5–7 minutes. As we chop the spinach finely, there is no need to blend. But if you like it - Blend spinach smooth if you like.
- For tempering: heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and dried red chillies. When they splutter, pour over curry.
- Heat coconut oil and fry urad dal and red chillies until golden. To a blender add the coconut, cumin, fried urad dal, chillies and water to a smooth paste.
Instant Pot Method
- Wash dal 3–4 times (no soaking needed).Add dal, spinach, turmeric, salt, and water to the Instant Pot. Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes, then let pressure release naturally.
- Fry urad dal and red chillies in coconut oil until golden. Grind with coconut, cumin, and water to a smooth paste.
- Stir ground coconut paste into dal-spinach mixture. Simmer on Sauté mode for 5 minutes.
- For tempering, heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, and red chillies until they splutter. Pour over keerai molagootal. Serve with hot white rice.
Video
Notes
Sandhya’s Top Tips – Keerai Molagootal Simplified
- Chopping spinach – I usually add spinach to a chopper to get it finely chopped in seconds. But if you prefer blending later for a smooth texture, just chop it roughly—it’s less work.
- For a vibrant green color – Cook spinach separately for a few minutes (like in palak paneer) and then add it to the cooked dal.
- One-pot version – I often cook dal and spinach together to save time and washing up. It’s simple, fuss-free, and still tastes delicious.
- Coconut oil is a must – Use it for frying the coconut paste ingredients and for the final tempering. The flavor is authentic and truly special.
- Go easy on water – Don’t add too much while cooking dal. Extra liquid will leave a watery layer instead of a creamy curry.
- Chilli choice matters – The type of dried red chilli you use will affect the color of your molagootal. Milder chillies give a brighter green dish.
Shreya says
Very Good I have tried it myself at home
Sandhya Hariharan says
So amazing! Spinach Molagootal is easy to make and comforting too.