Mullangi Keerai Poriyal | Radish Greens Stir Fry

Radish greens or Mullangi keerai or mooli ke patte - Like any other greens, radish greens are also packed with vitamins and minerals.  This is available in plenty during the winter season.  These leaves, unless they are fresh and tender, do taste a little bitter.  You can prepare quite a few dishes with these greens like kootu, poriyal, masiyal, radish greens rice, etc.

Here's the recipe to the poriyal:

Ingredients:

• White radish greens - 2 cups
• Coconut -1/4 cup grated
• Garlic - 5 cloves, crushed
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Salt - As required
• Oil - 1 tbl spn

For Seasoning:

• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Channa dal/Bengal gram - 1/2 tsp
• Red Chillies - 2, each broken into half
• Asafoetida/Hing - a pinch

How To Prepare Mullangi Keerai Poriyal:

• Wash and clean the radish greens.  Remove the thick stalk and chop the leaves finely.

• Grind coconut in the mixie for a second without adding water and keep it aside.
• Heat 1 tbl spn oil in a kadai or pan and add all the ingredients under "for seasoning" one by one.
• Add garlic and onions and saute till the onions turn transparent.
• Then add radish greens, salt and mix well, cover with a lid and cook in reduced flame till the leaves become soft (this will take about 10-15 minutes).  Sprinkle a little water in between and stir well to make sure the leaves do not stick to the bottom of the pan.

• Add the coconut and mix well and remove from flame.
• Serve with plain hot rice.

Notes:

• Always use fresh and tender radish greens to prepare this recipe.
• If you are not using tender leaves, then the dish, though tasty, will be a wee bit bitter.  To reduce the bitterness, add a few drops of lemon juice along with the coconut at the end and mix well.