Pachai Payir Keerai Kootu - Green Moong and Chard (using Instant Pot)

Kootu is something you make when you are tired of eating just paruppu and sambhar. Using toor dal/pigeon peas or split yellow moong dal gets boring as I use them often. Bengal Gram or kadalai paruppu is the go to lentil for kootu. had the last of the chard leaves for the season and wanted to use whole green moong. The combination turned out to be just delicious. The recipe itself is quite simple.

I have become a big fan of Instant Pot. Don't get me wrong I have used pressure cooker like for ever but the problem is wondering if the sound is going to come, if it will splatter all over if I add a bit too much water. The ability to cook without any of those worries is what makes InstantPot attractive for me. I do not use it much for sauteing, I prefer to use it for steaming and pressure cooking without worries. The rice cooks without getting too dry which is another benefit of using the Instant Pot, yes even when compared with the trusty old pressure cooker.

Recipe in pictures,

Cook the moong dal and blend the spice paste and keep it ready.
In a pot heat oil and add the seasonings. Get the chard leaves cut and ready.
Add the onions and saute till they start to change color. Add in the chard leaves and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add the coconut paste with a cup of water and cook for a few minutes and then add the cooked moong and salt and let cook for 3-4 minutes till done.

Serve with rice or even any kind of thin Indian breads.

Pachai Payir Keerai Kootu
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 cup green moong (pachai payir)
2. 3-4 cups of cut chard leaves (drumstick leaves, amaranth leaves or any hardier leafy green)
3. 1/4 cup cut shallots or red onions
4. salt to taste
5. seasonings: mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves
6. 2 tsp oil
For the spice paste
7. 1/3 cup frozen or fresh grated coconut
8. 1 tsp cumin seeds
9. 5-6 green chilies
10. a few coriander seeds (less than a tsp)
11. a few pepper corns (less than a tsp)
12. a few coriander leaves (optional)

Method

1. Wash and cook the whole moong in a Instant Pot with 1 1/2 cups of water. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
2. Make a paste of the ingredients from the 'For the Paste' section and set aside. Add enough water to make it into a paste.
3. In a pot, add oil followed by the seasonings, when the mustard pops add the curry leaves followed by the onions.
4. Once the onions start taking color add the chard leaves and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes.
5. Add in the spice paste and 1 cup of water and let it come to a boil. Cook till raw smell disappears.
6. Let the pressure release naturally from the Instant Pot (see **Note) and add the cooked moong to the chard leaves. Add salt.
7. Cook for 3-4 minutes and turn off the heat.
Serve with rice.

**Note If you are not using the Instant Pot, whole moong can be cooked in the pressure cooker or stove pot like we have doing for time immemorial :)

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