5. Maakootal or milagoottal

5.       Milagootal or makkootal

Spinach/keerai (mulai keerai, manathakali keerai, parupu keerai, pasalai keerai and ponanganni keerai) are the best for this dish. Cabbage, beans, chow chow, snake guard and other vegetables used for plain kootu can be used.
Ingredients:
Keerai/ spinach - 1 bunch
Thoor dal/moong dal - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
pepper - 5
cumin seed/jeera - 1tbs
optional urid dal- 2tsp
Red chilli - 1
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - 1tbs
For tempering
Coconut oil/cooking oil - 1tbs
Mustard seeds - 1/2tsp
urid dal - 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/2tsp
Broken red chilli - 1
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves
Method:

1.       Clean the spinach and chop into very small pieces and cook adding salt and turmeric powder.

2.       Pressure cook thoor dal adding a pinch of turmeric powder and asafetida.

3.       If you used urid dal, fry it with cumin seeds and pepper in dry pan and grind it with coconut. If you do not use urid dal grind the rest of the items raw.

4.       Smash the dal well .Mix all the three well and boil it for a 2 seconds. If the consistency is thin add rice flour.

5.       Temper all the items given under seasoning in oil.
Note: This is makes a best combo with vathakuzhambu. This can be used as a main gravy with ghee rich and pickles can be used as a side dish.
It is a good side dish for chappathi.