Beetroot leaves and Moong Dal ~ Cooked in spicy coconut puree / sauce

Up for some green! (reds to be precise :-). Beet leaves in various forms are a regular feature at home...yum! So here is another simple, low fat, and very nutritious recipe.

You need: serves 2
Beet Leaves - 1 bunch
Moong Dal - 3/4 to 1 cup
Salt to taste
Turmeric - two pinches
Hing / asafoetida - a pinch or a little more
Kuzhambu or rasam powder - 1 1/2 tsp (you could use less)

For the coconut puree
Coconut - 1/2 cup (shredded)
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
green chillies - 2
curry leaves - 4
pepper corns- 4 or 5
water - just enough to grind

Tempering
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli - 1
Curry leaves - 3 or 4
olive /coconut / sunflower oil - 1/2 tsp

Procedure
Pre-soak moong dal atleast for 15 minutes
Drain the water out and keep the fluffed up dal aside
Wash beet leaves thoroughly and chop
Grind the puree ingredients together and keep aside
In a pan, start the tempering - add oil, mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, red chilli and asafoetida
When mustard crackles, add and lightly stir in moong dal (minus the water)
Cover and cook for a minute (medium flame)
Add the chopped leaves and stir well, cover and cook for a minute
Wait for the leaves to cook a little (they reduce in quantity)
add salt, turmeric powder and kuzhambu powder, saute well
add coconut puree and mix well...leave the pan covered until the leaves and the dal is well done :)
serve with rice or roti / bread

Trivia

1. Beet cultivation dates back to second millennium B.C. 
2. Beet leaves and beet are a great cardiovascular food! - great for your heart and in treating anemia
3. Beet leaves and the root are extensively used for treating fever, constipation and blood related issues
4. The entire beet plant (stem, leaves and root) contain oxalic acid - making it a highly recommended oxlate food to treat kidney stones and other renal issues
5. There is a lot more...so dont discard those leaves - radish, turnip, carrots and every other root vegetable and their leaves are filled with nutrition :-) 

Two servings (two cups) of just this dish with a bowl of soup would make a great Brunch! Happy eating :)