Koi Thotakura Fry ~ Amaranth stir fry

Koi Thotakura Fry with crushed peanuts, garlic and red chilli powder

Andhra's favorite green is Thotakura (Amaranth/Chauli/Mulakeerai) after of course Gongura (Hibiscus cannabinus/red sorrel leaves/Roselle). Every morning in the streets of our Vizag you will hear vegetable vendor shouting and selling these farm cut fresh greens. Koi thotakura is the one with red stems and locally grown in Andhra. Here in US we don't see this vareity often, its almost like nil here in NJ.

Fresh Koi Thotakura ~ Amaranth Leaves

My SIL sent me these garden fresh Koi-Thotakura from her backyard through my In-laws visiting us from Boise, ID . Here is a picture of leafy vegetable patch in her backyard.

SIL's backyard patch

Thotakura can be cooked with dals/lentils, can be stir fried or just sauted with light seasoning. Today I am blogging my MIL's recipe which is very tasty and can be a side dish with plain rice, and roti. I am sending it to Vani from Batasari, the host of Weekend Herb Blogging started by Kalyn from Kalyn's Kitchen.

Source: My Mother-In-Law
Cuisine: South Indian, Andhra
Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
3 C Koi Thotakura, washed, dried and coarsely chopped along with the stems
Salt diluted in 2T of water
to be coarsely grind:
3 cloves of fresh garlic
handful of roasted peanuts
1/2 t cumin seeds
1 tsp red chilli powder/cayenne/paprika (for less heat)
for tempering/tadka/seasoning:
1 t mustard seeds
1 t cumin/jeera
1 t urad dal/black gram
1 t chana dal/bengal gram
4-5 curry leaves (optional)
2 T cooking oil

Method:
1. Wash and dry the leaves on a kitchen towel, make sure its dried thoroughly. Then coarsely chop the leaves along with the stems discarding any tough ones.
2. Heat oil in a large pan, add mustard seeds and let it splutter for a minute, then add the rest of the seasoning ingredients and let it fry for a minute.
3. Add the chopped leaves and stir occasionally for even cooking, sprinkle the salty water over the leaves, saute and cover with a lid for 4-5 mins.

MIL teaching me the recipe

peanut-cumin-garlic-chilli powder mix

4. The leaves will shrink down and now is the time to add the grounded powder of garlic, peanuts and chilli powder. Mix well and cover for another 2 mins till it dries out of any excess water.
5. Serve with Rice and dal or Rotis/Indian flat bread.