Keerai Masiyal

Tender greens — spinach, amaranth, or drumstick leaves — cooked down with garlic, green chillies, and cumin until completely softened, then coarsely mashed with a hand whisk rather than blended smooth. Eaten mixed into rice with sesame oil, keerai masiyal is the everyday greens preparation of Tamil Nadu homes, valued as much for its nutrition as its earthy simplicity.