Joy weed or Ponnanganni Kootu (பொன்னாங்கண்ணி கீரைக் கூட்டு)

Ponnanganni or Joy weed (பொன்னாங்கண்ணி) is rich in calcium and phosphorus. It is used in native medicine for treating fever, gastrointestinal and eye problems. In South India, ponnanganni keerai is used to make sambar, poriyal, kootu or masiyal. Ponnanganni kootu goes well with rice and rasam. 

Joy weed or Ponnankanni leaves

Ingredients: (Serves three)

Joy weed – 2 teacups or 400ml measure

Moong dhal – ½ tumbler or 100 ml measure

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Salt – to taste

Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon

Split urad dhal – ½ teaspoon

Red chilli –1 no

Oil – 1 tablespoon

To be ground into a paste:

Coconut – grated, 2 tablespoons

Jeera – ½ teaspoon

Red chilli – 1 to 2 (adjust to taste)

Pepper corns – a few

Joy weed or Ponnanganni Kootu (பொன்னாங்கண்ணி கீரைக் கூட்டு)

Method: Separate joy weed leaves, wash 2 to 3 times with water and drain well. Place the joy weed leaves and moong dhal with 2 tumblers (400ml) of water in a kadai. Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Cover and cook on a low flame. Keep a ladle in the kadai, to prevent dhal from boiling over. Grind coconut, jeera, pepper corns and red chillies into a fine paste. Once the greens and dhal are cooked well, add the ground paste, mix well and bring it to boil. Switch off the fire. Heat oil in a tadka pan or spice heating pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add red chilli and mustard seeds, when the seeds start to sputter, add urad dhal and fry till the dhal turns golden brown. Remove from fire and add the seasonings to the kootu. Serve hot with rice and rasam/ kuzhambu. 

If you like this post, please share it with your friends, followers or contacts, by just clicking the 'Face book', 'Twitter' or 'Google +’ icons you see below the post. Feel free to post your comment/ feedback. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you!