Trim the roots and the part of the stem of the Amaranth that is mature and fibrous and discard. Also pinch off the top flower/ flowering parts, if any, and discard. Wash the Amaranth well and shake off the excess water. Itu2019s a good idea to submerge all of it in water to which a lot of salt has been added, for about an hour as this kills off any parasites that might be on the Amaranth.

Chop the Amaranth leaves and the tender stems as fine as you can and keep aside. Heat the oil in a wok or pan and add the mustard seeds. Turn down the heat to medium. When the splutter (pop and crackle), add the lentils and stir. When the turn golden (do not let them darken) add the red chillies and the asafoetida. Stir a couple of times and then add the uncooked rice. Stir a few times until the rice turns white in colour.

Now add the chopped Amaranth greens to the pan and stir. Also add the turmeric powder and the salt. Sprinkle a handful of water (or add about 3 tbsp water) over this and mix well. Turn the heat to low and let the Amaranth and the rice cook, uncovered. Stir occasionally to make sure everything cooks uniformly.

The Amaranth will cook very quickly, and the dish is done when there is no water left in the pan, the Amaranth is moist and the rice is cooked. Note that the texture of the cooked rice in this will not be like that of regular rice when cooked but will be firm and not soft. If the rice feels uncooked, add another tbsp. of water and let it cook till done. Take care not to overcook the greens or they will lose their nutritional value.

Turn the heat off, and add the fresh grated coconut. Mix it in just before serving. Serve warm as a side dish along with rice and a gravy “curry” like sambhar, rasam or pulissery.