
Being a greens lover, I would like to try all green varieties. I love thandu keerai aka red spinach or red amaranth greens for its red colored stems and leaves. Thandu keerai is available in two colors: full red in color and red & green mixed as well. The specialty of thandu keerai is we can make use of the stems/stalks as well. As with any greens, it also has high nutrients and loaded with dietary fiber. I usually make thandu keerai soup, thandu keerai mor Kootu (with stems) or this stir/fry. It goes well with Sambar, rasam or any tangy kuzhambu.
Let's check how to make this healthy thandu keerai poriyal.

Thandu Keerai Poriyal Recipe | Red Thandu Keerai Poriyal Recipe
Easy and Healthy Stir-fry with Thandu Keerai
Calories
Ingredients
- Thandu Keerai - 2 cups tightly packed including stems
- Onion - 1 big sized
- Garlic - 5 cloves
- Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
- Turmeric Powder - a pinch
- Sambar powder - ยฝ tsp
- Salt ย - to taste
To Temper
- Oil - 2 tsp
- Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
- Urad dal ย - 1 tsp
- Red chillies - 2
Instructions
Preparation
- Collect the leaves and stem from the Keerai bunch and wash the greens and stem twice. Chop the stems to bite size pieces. Keep ย aside.Chop the onion, garlic finely and make it ready.
Method
- Heat a pan with oil and add the items to temper. Once mustard cracks and urad dal turns brown, add red chillies and fry for a minute.ย Now add the onions along with garlic and sautรฉ till onion becomes transparent. Now Add chopped stems.
- Add 2 tablespoon of water and cook the stems for 5 minutes. Once the stems are half cooked add chopped greens. Mix well.ย Fry the leaves in low flame until it shrinks in volume.
- Then add turmeric powder, Sambar powder and required salt. Fry everything in medium low flame until the greens and stems are completely cooked. This may take 5 to 7 minutes. No need to add water as the greens will leave out water.
- After the greens got cooked, add coconut and mix well for 2 minutes. Once everything comes together, switch off the flame.
Nutrition
Serving: 2g
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Preparationย :
1. Collect the leaves and stem from the Keerai bunch and wash the greens and stem twice. Chop the stems to bite size pieces. Keep ย aside.Chop the onion, garlic finely and make it ready.

Procedure :
1. Heat a pan with oil and add the items to temper. Once mustard cracks and urad dal turns brown, add red chillies and fry for a minute.ย Now add the onions along with garlic and sautรฉ till onion becomes transparent. Now Add chopped stems.

2. Add 2 tablespoon of water and cook the stems for 5 minutes. Once the stems are half cooked add chopped greens. Mix well.ย Fry the leaves in low flame until it shrinks in volume.

3. ย Then add turmeric powder, Sambar powder and required salt. Fry everything in medium low flame until the greens and stems are completely cooked. This may take 5 to 7 minutes. No need to add water as the greens will leave out water.

3. After the greens got cooked, add coconut and mix well for 2 minutes. Once everything comes together, switch off the flame.

The Healthy thandu keerai poriyal is ready! Serve with hot steamed rice & any Kuzhambu of your choice. We had it with rasam.

Notesย :
- Half cook the stems before adding greens. Otherwise the greens will be over cooked if we add greens and stems together.
- Cleaning the greens is very important to get rid of mud.
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