Keerai Masiyal, or Keerai Kadayal, is a humble yet iconic dish from Tamil Nadu featuring lightly spiced mashed greens. It’s wholesome, nourishing, and incredibly simple to make.
Traditionally made with local spinach varieties, it’s now something I prepare often using the greens available here in the U.S.—and when cooked in a traditional clay pot (manchatti), it brings a touch of the home right into your kitchen.
What is keerai masiyal?
This dish is essentially steamed spinach that’s mashed and gently tempered with spices. It’s mild in flavor—perfect for toddlers, elders, or anyone who prefers comfort food that’s easy on the stomach. Plus, it freezes well, making it great for meal prep!
Today, I’m using regular spinach (pasalai keerai) that’s commonly found in U.S. grocery stores. However, you can make this dish with any variety of greens—especially now that Indian stores are stocking up on thandu keerai (amaranth) and manathakkali (garden huckleberry) leaves.
Cooking in a clay pot
The clay pot I used is from a small shop in Chennai, but you can find similar ones online or in Indian grocery stores here in the U.S. While buying from India might be more affordable, do take care while packing—out of the three I brought back this time, one didn’t survive.
Clay pots are porous, which allows them to retain moisture and create an earthy flavor while naturally balancing acidity. They come in types like traditional terracotta or black clay, and you can even find rough-bottomed versions made specifically for mashing dishes like keerai masiyal and paruppu kadayal.
For mashing, a wooden churner or matthu works best—avoid using a steel potato masher.
How to season a clay pot
Before cooking, it’s important to season your clay pot to strengthen it and prepare it for stovetop use. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Wash the pot using warm water and a gentle scrubber or cleanser like Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend.
- Soak it overnight in plain water or rice starch (the water from rinsing rice).
- Oil & Heat: The next day, empty the pot, dry it, apply a thin layer of coconut oil, and heat it gently on the stove over low heat for 5 minutes.
- Repeat the soaking and heating process for 4 days.
- Ready to Use: After 4 days, rinse and start cooking! For maintenance, avoid dry heating and always use mild soap to clean.
This version is light and subtle, making it a go-to recipe for a quick, nutritious meal.
How to make keerai kadayal
- In a clay pot, pour ¼ cup of water, and add the chopped greens along with salt, turmeric, and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until the spinach wilts and starts to look frothy.
- Reduce the heat and use a wooden masher (matthu) or buttermilk churner to mash the spinach until smooth and creamy.
- In a small pan, heat coconut oil. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, and dried red chilies. Once the mustard seeds splutter and the dal turns golden, pour the tempering over the mashed spinach.
- Mix well and serve hot with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee. It pairs beautifully with vathal kuzhambu for a soul-satisfying meal.
Recipe notes & tips
- Adjust salt and red chilies to suit your taste.
- For extra flavor, see the variations section below.
- If freezing, mash the spinach after cooking with salt, turmeric, and pepper. Cool it completely, portion it, and freeze it. Temper just before serving.
Variations to try
- Use thalippu vadagam (sun-dried spiced onion mix) to temper and boost flavor.
- Add 2 tbsp of cooked moong dal or toor dal for a creamier texture.
- Enhance the taste by adding garlic or shallots while cooking or tempering.
- Try other greens like amaranth or manathakkali, depending on availability.
Serving suggestions
- It is best enjoyed with hot rice and ghee.
- It pairs well with vathal kuzhambu for a wholesome Tamil-style lunch.
- You can even serve it as a side with roti, millet or as part of a soup bowl to sneak more greens into your meals.
More traditional South Indian spinach recipes
Want to bring more traditional South Indian flavors into your home kitchen? This keerai masiyal is a great place to start—simple, earthy, and full of comfort. Let me know how yours turns out, and feel free to share your favorite variations, too! Also, don’t miss out on these traditional South Indian recipes with spinach.
Have you made this recipe?
If you’ve made this keerai kadaiyal, please share your photos with me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or Twitter – I will be delighted to see your results!
📖 Recipe
Keerai Masiyal (Keerai Kadayal) – A Comforting Spinach Mash in Clay Pot
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240 ml; 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
- 8 oz spinach approx 230 grams, cleaned and roughly chopped
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp urad dal
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
Instructions
- In a clay pot, pour ¼ cup of water, and add the chopped greens along with salt, turmeric, and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat until the spinach wilts and starts to look frothy.
- Reduce the heat and use a wooden masher (matthu) or buttermilk churner to mash the spinach until smooth and creamy.
- In a small pan, heat coconut oil. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds, and dried red chilies. Once the mustard seeds splutter and the dal turns golden, pour the tempering over the mashed spinach.
- Mix well and serve hot with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee. It pairs beautifully with vathal kuzhambu for a soul-satisfying meal.
Video
Notes
- Adjust salt and red chilies to suit your taste.
- For extra flavor, see the Variations section below.
- If freezing, mash the spinach after cooking with salt, turmeric, and pepper. Cool it completely, portion it, and freeze it. Temper just before serving.
- Use thalippu vadagam (sun-dried spiced onion mix) to temper and boost flavor.
- Add 2 tbsp of cooked moong dal or toor dal for a creamier texture.
- Enhance the taste by adding garlic or shallots while cooking or tempering.
- Try other greens like amaranth or manathakkali, depending on availability.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Update Notes: Earlier posted in 2016, now updated the recipe with video, new pictures and also recipe card with nutritional information.
i also do this often not in clay pot though :). We call it keerai masiyal
Yeah.. Keerai masiyal la we sometimes add dal too na..
Awesome post and recipe Vidhya. Love your clay pot, Personally I am a big fan of these kind of traditional props…I have some but your clay pot looks so beautiful..especially its lid :-) thanks for the wonderful recipe with a clay pot, I will try!
Thanks a lot Rani.. I love traditional props too. This one we can cook and use it as a prop too naa.. ;-) Please do try and let me know how you liked it. Thanks again.
Wow this is an awesome post..not sure how I missed it!..its wonderful to cook in a new way and the results seem stunning as well..very healthy keerai!
Thanks a lot Valli. :-)
I’ve been thinking of getting a clay pot for a few recipes I want to do for my september theme I have chosen – what a rustic and traditional cooking method
Thanks a lot Mir. Ancientcookware site has good collection and they have store in amazon too. I got it from there only. Luckily ancientcookware had free shipping going on. So it was pretty convenient.
Clay pot keerai kadaiyal are the best, lucky you to have that beautiful pot. I have one too but as good as yours…
Amazon dan Mullai. :-) Amazon eruka bayamen. lol Thanks a lot pa
SImply love the clay pot! I am going to ask my dad to bring one. He is a super good packer, so hopefully he can get me one without breaking it. I love keerai masiyal, but can never make like my mom does. Your version looks lovely. I am going to try it soon.
Getting it from India is the best… Amma’s cooking is always the best naa. Thanks a lot sandhya
Traditional way of making keerai fantastic and healthy dish..
Thanks Padma.
Lovely keerai masiyal Srividhya!! And I so wish I had a clay pot too. I have never cooked in one yet. Yours looks really great!!
Thanks a lot.. Got it from ancient cookware online site. Amazon has it too. Please do check it out. Thanks
An awesome dish and the way you presented it the authentic way in the clay pot is admirable.
Thanks Harini.
I am coveting this clay pot. You are lucky to be living so far away. :p :p
ha ha ha.. :-) I wish I could send you one. :-)
Wow…Making this simple and yet delicious spinach bhaji in clay pot is a fantastic idea and the taste too would turn out yummy…
Thanks a lot Asiya and welcome to my space.
Never cooked in a clay pot. But my aunt uses clay pots for cooking a lot, it gives a earthy taste to the dish. The dish looks very healthy and yummy Srividhya. Beautiful clicks.
Thanks a lot Amara. :-)
I make this once a week in man chatti. There is quite a difference between using man chatti and other vessels. This is so flavourful and tasty…
Very true. Thanks a lot Gayathri.
wow..cooking any dish in a clay pot would definitely enhance flavors..very rustic way of cooking..love the dish for its earthy flavors.
Thanks a lot Vaishali.
Nothing beats the taste of keerai masiyal made in manchatti,it gives a nice earthy taste.
True. Thanks a lot Nalini.
Butter milk churner for mashing keerai? :) There is separate mathu available for mashing dal and keerai, I brought it from india, but not this thayir mathu!! I think you have done the ulta! ;) :)
Different way of keerai masiyal! Nice!
yeah yaar ulta thingy ;-) ;-) . I couldn’t get them here. I have the potato masher but didn’t want to use it on a clay pot. Then thought why not use the butter milk churner. So went with this. Keerai mathu doesn’t have the claws right?
Never cooked in earthen pots. Kudos to you for your trial to cook and present the dish in authentic way. The dish sounds rustic and but I bet it tastes good.
Thanks Suma. Yeah. :-)
This keerai kadaiyal is calling me, can have this healthy dish with some rice and spicy potato fry. Drooling already here.
Spicy potato fry and keerai oh yeah perfect combo… thanks oriya.
You have to play around a bit to capture steam. I have not tried it myself. I should do it sometime.
Yeah true usha. :-)
Awesome Sri.. you managed to get a clay pot! I am super impressed. I am trying to convince S that I need a clay pot too but because of the space constraints, he has been saying no. I love keerai masiyal too and your version sounds very nice. Mine is little different and I so want to try this!
By the way, steam photography is so difficult to nail right?! I tried and tried for my coffee post and could get only one decent shot. I am yet to spend time and try out more! Your featured shot with steam is pretty nice :) can almost smell the keerai masiyal :D
Thanks a lot CH. M didn’t let me bring it from India. I agreed with him because I know how the checkin bags are thrown back and forth. Luckily found them online and got it. Space is one constraint for sure. Somehow I convinced. Yeah da, the keerai masiyal that amma does is also slightly different. I tried it like how my frnd’s mom does. Can’t wait your version. Please post it. :-) Ha tell me about steam photography. To be honest, I havent mastered the regular one itself but I dunno why I jumped on to this. What I read online was, for steam you need to use some artificial gas and stuff. But some say no also. As you said yet to spend time and explore. If you find something please do share. :-)
Thanks for the feedback.